Crater densities and geological histories of Rhea, Dione, Mimas and Tethys

Details Crater densities and geological histories of Rhea, Dione, Mimas and Tethys Crater densities and geological histories of Rhea, Dione, Mimas and Tethys

Jan 1982

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1982natur.295..285p&link_type=abstract

Nature, vol. 295, Jan. 28, 1982, p. 285-290. NASA-supported research.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

41

Craters, Planetary Evolution, Planetary Surfaces, Saturn Satellites, Dione, Icy Satellites, Mimas, Rhea (Astronomy), Tethys, Saturn, Satellites, Ice, Composition, Craters, Density, Geology, Mimas, History, Rhea, Dione, Tethys, Surface, 1980S3, Comparisons, Size, Observations, Morphology, Bombardment, Evolution, Distribution, Maps, Frequency, Analysis, Gradients, Energy, Formation, Heating, Source, Thermal Effects

Scientific paper

The Saturn icy satellites Rhea, Dione, Mimas and Tethys were imaged by Voyager 1 with sufficiently high resolution to permit crater counts that will determine the character and magnitude of crater density variations and the relative ages of the different terrain types. The data show that the surfaces of these satellites are not uniformly cratered, and therefore not of uniform age. Density variations are found to occur at all diameters, especially in the distribution of large-diameter craters (greater than 50 km). It is concluded that this satellite group, despite their small size and mass and low density, have evolved beyond their original, accretionary state. The alteration processes appear in light of crater density determinations to have been active beyond the period of heavy bombardment. The energy source for the evolution of these bodies has yet to be determined.

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