Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufm.p23a1243n&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #P23A-1243
Mathematics
Logic
[5420] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Impact Phenomena, Cratering, [5470] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Surface Materials And Properties, [5494] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Instruments And Techniques, [6225] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Mars
Scientific paper
The pervasive occurrence of secondary crater chains across multiple geologic terrains on planetary surfaces elevates their potential utility as stratigraphic markers. However, current approaches that link secondaries to their parent (source) craters are qualitative and vulnerable to over-simplification. Herein, we present the developmental status and operational performance of a GIS-based computer program that analyzes the spatial relationship of secondary craters with potential parent craters. Once provided a vector point file and limited set of user-defined control parameters, the current program attempts to identify crater clusters using nearest-neighbor analysis, directional distributions of statistical clusters, and great circles that extend along the major axis of each statistical cluster beginning at its center. The number and density of great circle intersections are then used to model the location of a parent crater. Control parameters can be dynamically changed to examine multiple ejection-trajectory-impact scenarios. To control and calibrate the program, we used the spatial locations of >22,000 secondaries (mapped using THEMIS VIS images) interpreted to have been sourced from Zunil, a 10.1-km-diameter, Late Amazonian-age crater located in Elysium Planitia, Mars. Mapped points served as input for multiple program iterations, each of which calculated and displayed the effects that different cluster characteristics, ejection velocities, and angular rotations have on the modeled location of the parent crater. We also estimated variance in the modeled parent crater location based on human and automated cluster identification. Results indicate: (1) optimized parameters identify the source as a point located 1.6 kilometers from Zunil’s center; (2) distance between modeled source location and Zunil’s center decreases with increasing cluster ellipticity; (3) human- and auto-identified cluster analyses identify comparable source locations but use contrasting parameters; (4) inclusion of rotational velocities to account for the Coriolis effect has varying effects on accurately correlating modeled and actual source location; and (5) some mapped secondaries do not appear to source from Zunil crater. Current and ongoing performance tests will help to refine the current GIS-program and to develop optimized methods for its use as an analytical tool for assessing stratigraphy and impact dynamics on Mars and other planetary bodies.
Nava R. A.
Skinner Andrew J.
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