Re:Mercury found to be tectonically active
by T-hawk on Tuesday September 27, 2016 @12:46PM
(#12590971)
"Feed in energy" - that energy has to come from somewhere. The point of this subthread is where does that energy come from thermodynamically? The answer is orbital or rotational kinetic energy via tidal forces, which of course do affect both crust and water.
Re:Mercury found to be tectonically active
by mafribe on Tuesday September 27, 2016 @12:58PM
(#12591054)
Yes, but different celestial bodies get there energy from different sources.
For the earth it's mostly radioactive decay in the core of the planet.
In others, like Io, it's believed to be mostly tidal friction.
Or slowly feed in energy that is stored and released when something else pushes the system far enough out of equilibrium that a quake happens.