Glossary: Linear Scarps
From CosmoQuest
Linear scarps form when parts of a surface are pulled apart. The rock breaks on an angle and one side of the rock slides down along this break, creating a cliff or slope.
These kinds of scarps are distinctive because they are long and straight. Changes in break direction are done by ending the break in one location and resuming it slightly to the side of the original break (known as en echelon formation). The angle of the slopes varies and can be steep and cliff-like or very gentle and gradual.
Examples of linear scarps on the planets
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| Moon |
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