Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufm.u11c..06c&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #U11C-06
Other
1160 Planetary And Lunar Geochronology, 5420 Impact Phenomena, Cratering (6022, 8136), 5480 Volcanism (6063, 8148, 8450), 6235 Mercury
Scientific paper
Images obtained by the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) during MESSENGER's first flyby of Mercury (January 2008) revealed cratered landscapes never before seen by spacecraft at longitudes generally west of the center of the Caloris basin. Other images showed cratered terrains previously viewed by Mariner 10 but this time with much better lighting conditions. We have studied crater size-frequency distributions (SFDs) in some representative regions from MDIS Narrow Angle Camera frames for craters down to about 1-km diameter as well as from MDIS Wide Angle Camera images covering broader terrains for craters larger than 8-km diameter. Initial results include the revelation that secondary craters often predominate over primary craters at diameters less than 8 km, a larger threshold size than for the Moon or Mars. Considerably larger secondaries from basins may be important in some regions. Many of the smooth plains exterior to Caloris appear to be younger than the plains within Caloris, a result that appears to be inconsistent with the hypothesis that the exterior plains are mainly formed by Caloris ejecta (as in the lunar Cayley plains) and suggests that a period of post-Caloris volcanism occurred in these regions. The small, well-preserved basin Raditladi has an order of magnitude fewer superimposed impact craters (on both its floor and ejecta blanket) than are on the smooth plains west of Caloris, implying an unusually youthful age for this basin of 1 to 2 Ga or less. There are appreciable regional differences in crater SFDs in highland regions, which may shed light on the processes that form intercrater plains. Previously unimaged regions farther west of the Caloris- dominated longitudes viewed during the first flyby will be studied from images obtained during the second flyby (October 2008). They may reveal more regional differences in the SFDs for Mercury's craters.
Chapman Clark R.
Head James W.
Merline William Jon
Solomon Stanley C.
Strom Richard G.
No associations
LandOfFree
Cratering on Mercury Interpreted from MESSENGER's First Two Flybys does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Cratering on Mercury Interpreted from MESSENGER's First Two Flybys, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cratering on Mercury Interpreted from MESSENGER's First Two Flybys will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1240186