Small Crater Morphology Within Gusev Crater and Isidis Planitia: Evidence for Widespread Secondaries on MarsLarge (greater than 2 km diameter) impact craters on the martian surface have been extensively studied and modeled. Craters smaller than this were known to exist but the lack of high-resolution images prevented detailed measurements and descriptions. Images obtained by the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) on Mars Global Surveyor are of sufficient resolution to perform detailed studies on the morphology of small (less than 1 km diameter) craters. Previous workers have suggested that many of these small craters are secondary craters; while others maintain that they represent primary impacts. The difference is significant, however, because of implications for surface age, climate change, impact generated regolith, provenance of surface rocks, engineering considerations (landing safety and rover trafficability), and the origin of martian meteorites.
Document ID
20040065872
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Hurst, M. (Brigham Young Univ. Provo, UT, United States)
Golombek, M. P. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Kirk, R. (Geological Survey Flagstaff, AZ, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Impacts on Mars and Earth