水星是离太阳最近的类地行星,它有着类似月球的外表和类似地球的内部,其重要的构造特征主要表现在以下方面:广泛分布的撞击坑;全球线性构造(格子构造)体系;叶片状悬崖;与Caloris盆地相关的构造;局部的拉张构造,其中叶片状悬崖是仅存在于水星的独特构造。类地行星(除地球以外)的构造形迹主要形成于星球历史的早、中期,同时小行星体的构造演化通常被认为是行星热演化以及外部作用(如强烈撞击或者潮汐)共同作用的结果。
Mercury, the innermost terrestrial planet of the solar system, has the similar surface to the Moon and the similar interior to the Earth. It exhibits five important tectonic features: (1)pervasive impact craters, (2)a global grid system, (3)lobate scarps, only found on Mercury, (4)structures associated with the Caloris Basin and (5)local extensional feature. Most of the structural features of terrestrial planet except the Earth is formed in the early-middle history of the planets. The tectonic evolution of small planetary bodies is usually interpreted as the result of their thermal evolution with external perturbations such as large impacts or tidal effects. On this basis this paper discusses the tectonic history of Mercury by summaring and analysing its tectonic features.