Reorientation of Vesta: Gravity and tectonic predictions

Details Reorientation of Vesta: Gravity and tectonic predictions Reorientation of Vesta: Gravity and tectonic predictions

Jul 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011georl..3814205m&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 38, Issue 14, CiteID L14205

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Planetary Sciences: Comets And Small Bodies: Gravitational Fields (1221), Planetary Sciences: Comets And Small Bodies: Impact Phenomena (5420, 8136), Planetary Sciences: Comets And Small Bodies: Orbital And Rotational Dynamics, Planetary Sciences: Comets And Small Bodies: Origin And Evolution, Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects: Asteroids (4308)

Scientific paper

Vesta's large southern hemisphere impact basin is likely to have caused reorientation. However, because the basin is not centred at the south pole, Vesta likely also has a remnant rotational figure. Reorientation of ≈6° is predicted to have occurred based on the dimensions of the basin. Existing measurements of Vesta's shape are consistent with ≈20° or less reorientation, and ≈20% or less despinning. Both the remnant rotational figure and the basin contribute to the degree-2 gravity coefficients, which will be measured by the Dawn mission and will provide a test of the reorientation hypothesis. Reorientation and despinning also give rise to stresses. Vesta's stress state is likely to be dominated by isotropic contraction due to cooling (which does not affect the gravity coefficients). However, the orientation of the resulting thrust features will be controlled by the amount of reorientation and despinning, providing another observational test.

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