Global Distribution of Small Rayed Craters on Mars: Sequences of Ejecta Retention

Small rayed impact craters (SRC), whose diameter (D) is less than1 km, should be distributed spatially and temporally random across Mars. Ejecta retention, the capacity of and time period impact excavated material remains in place around a crater, can serve as a proxy to understand global resurfacing rates and recent surficial processes. Ejecta retention depends on two factors: formation, where the target material is more conducive to creating ejecta rays, and retention, the erosion/deposition rate where ejecta are emplaced. This research aims to quantify the distribution of SRC on Mars, as well as develop a classification scheme for ejecta retention with correlations to known processes. Our ultimate goal is to better understand the retention environment over the "lifespan" of the rayed ejecta.