Premium
Floor‐Fractured Craters on Ceres and Implications for Interior Processes
Author(s) -
Buczkowski Debra L.,
Sizemore Hanna G.,
Bland Michael T.,
Scully Jennifer E. C.,
Quick Lynnae C.,
Hughson Kynan H. G.,
Park Ryan S.,
Preusker Frank,
Raymond Carol A.,
Russell Christopher T.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: planets
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9100
pISSN - 2169-9097
DOI - 10.1029/2018je005632
Subject(s) - impact crater , astrobiology , geology , intrusion , magma , mars exploration program , dwarf planet , volcano , geochemistry , solar system , physics
Several of the impact craters on Ceres have sets of fractures on their floors. These fractures appear similar to those found within a class of lunar craters referred to as floor‐fractured craters (FFCs). We have cataloged the Ceres FFCs according to the classification scheme designed for the Moon. An analysis of the depth to diameter ratio for Ceres craters shows that, like lunar FFCs, the Ceres FFCs are anomalously shallow. Large (>50 km) Ceres FFCs are most consistent with Class 1 lunar FFCs, while smaller craters on Ceres are more consistent with Class 4 lunar FFCs. This suggests that Ceres FFCs may similarly be undergoing fracturing due to the intrusion of a low‐density material below the craters. While on the Moon (and Mars) the intrusive material is hypothesized to be silicate magma, cryomagmatic intrusions are more likely responsible for the formation of the Ceres FFCs. However, new models suggest that at least some of the FFC fractures may have formed due to the solid‐state flow of a low‐viscosity and low‐density material into the crater wall.