Definition
Rilles (derived from the German term in geomorphology for grooves) are elongated and narrow depressions on the lunar surface with a high length-to-width ratio resembling channel-like features. Rilles are of endogenic origin: the so-called arcuate and sinuous rilles are both associated with volcanism and lava and are due to contraction cooling and subsidence or collapsed lava tubes, respectively. The so-called straight rilles are considered to be of tectonic origin and caused by the extension of the crust.
Though similar features exist on other terrestrial planets, the term “rille” is generally reserved for lunar surface features.
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© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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van Gasselt, S. (2015). Rille. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_1377
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_1377
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