The impact cratering record on triton.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|October 19, 1990
Summary
Impact craters on Neptune's moon Triton are rare due to recent resurfacing. Analysis suggests most craters originate from comets, with some possibly from volcanic explosions on the cantaloupe terrain.
Area of Science:
- Planetary Science
- Geology
- Astrogeology
Background:
- Triton, Neptune's largest moon, exhibits a surface shaped by recent resurfacing events, making impact craters scarce.
- The most heavily cratered areas on Triton show crater densities comparable to the lunar maria.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the characteristics of impact craters on Triton.
- To determine the origin and size-frequency distribution of Triton's crater population.
- To investigate potential leading-trailing asymmetries in crater distribution.
Main Methods:
- Crater counting and analysis of size-frequency distributions.
- Comparison of crater morphology and scaling laws with other icy satellites.
- Assessment of surface age and resurfacing history.
Main Results:
- The transition from simple to complex craters occurs at approximately 11 km diameter.
- Crater depth-diameter relationships are consistent with other icy satellites, considering gravitational effects.
- The crater size-frequency distribution exhibits a differential slope of -3, matching Miranda's fresh crater population.
- The leading hemisphere shows higher crater density, suggesting a potential leading-trailing asymmetry.
- Craters on the cantaloupe terrain display peculiar size distributions, indicative of volcanic origins.
Conclusions:
- The crater population on Triton is likely dominated by cometary impacts, supported by size distribution similarities with Miranda and Triton's young surface.
- Evidence suggests that some sharp craters, particularly on the cantaloupe terrain, are likely volcanic explosion craters, not impact craters.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Impact: Problem Solving
In an experiment conducted during a Mars mission, a rover propels a projectile with an initial velocity, and the projectile rebounds after colliding with the Martian surface. To ascertain the maximum height attained by the projectile after this collision, the known restitution coefficient and acceleration due to gravity are employed.
By designating the launch point as the origin and utilizing kinematic equations, the vertical component of the projectile's velocity at the point of impact is...
By designating the launch point as the origin and utilizing kinematic equations, the vertical component of the projectile's velocity at the point of impact is...
01:30Impact
Impact occurs when two bodies collide, leading to the application of impulsive forces between them. Analyzing impact mechanics involves considering two colliding particles moving along a line known as the line of impact, which passes through their centers and is perpendicular to the contact plane.
When particles with different initial velocities collide, they induce deformation by applying equal and opposite impulses. At the point of maximum deformation, the particles move together with...
When particles with different initial velocities collide, they induce deformation by applying equal and opposite impulses. At the point of maximum deformation, the particles move together with...
01:30Types of Impact
Impacts can be classified in various forms, primarily under two subgroups: central impact and oblique impact. A central impact occurs when two objects collide head-on, possessing opposite velocities aligned along the line of impact. Conversely, an oblique impact occurs when two objects collide at an angle, resulting in a modification of both direction and velocity.
The coefficient of restitution is a metric for understanding the dynamics of impacts. It quantifies the ratio of relative velocity...
The coefficient of restitution is a metric for understanding the dynamics of impacts. It quantifies the ratio of relative velocity...
01:23Trigonometric Substitution
Trigonometric substitution is a technique used to simplify integrals that contain square root expressions involving quadratic forms. It is particularly effective when the integrand includes terms resembling those found in standard geometric equations, such as circles or ellipses.Molniya satellites follow highly elliptical orbits, repeatedly sweeping out the same regions of space as they revolve around Earth. To estimate the area enclosed by such an orbit, the path is modeled as an ellipse...
01:19Types of Collisions - II
When two or more objects collide with each other, they can stick together to form one single composite object (after collision). The total mass of the object after the collision is the sum of the masses of the original objects, and it moves with a velocity dictated by the conservation of momentum. Although the system's total momentum remains constant, the kinetic energy decreases, and thus such a collision is an inelastic collision. Most of the collisions between objects in daily life are...
01:13Impulse
According to Newton’s second law of motion, the rate of change of the momentum of an object is the net external force acting on it. The total change in momentum between two timepoints thus depends on both the external force acting on it and the time over which it acts. Describing this mathematically, the total change of an object’s motion is proportional to the force vector and the time over which it is applied. This product is called impulse.
Additionally, it can be shown that the total...
Additionally, it can be shown that the total...