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The Morphometry of Impact Craters on Bennu
Author(s) -
Daly R. T.,
Bierhaus E. B.,
Barnouin O. S.,
Daly M. G.,
Seabrook J. A.,
Roberts J. H.,
Ernst C. M.,
Perry M. E.,
Nair H.,
Espiritu R. C.,
Palmer E. E.,
Gaskell R. W.,
Weirich J. R.,
Susorney H. C. M.,
Johnson C. L.,
Walsh K. J.,
Nolan M. C.,
Jawin E. R.,
Michel P.,
Trang D.,
Lauretta D. S.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2020gl089672
Subject(s) - impact crater , geology , asteroid , ejecta , regolith , impact structure , astrobiology , geomorphology , physics , astronomy , supernova
Bennu is an ~500‐m‐diameter rubble‐pile asteroid that is the target of detailed study by the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS‐REx) mission. Here we use data from the OSIRIS‐REx Laser Altimeter to assess depth‐to‐diameter ratios ( d/D) of 108 impact craters larger than 10 m in diameter. The d/D of craters on Bennu ranges from 0.02 to 0.19. The mean is 0.10 ± 0.03. The smallest craters show the broadest range in d/D , consistent with d/D measurements on other asteroids. A few craters have central mounds, which is interpreted as evidence that a more competent substrate lies a few meters beneath them. The range of d/D narrows as crater size increases, with craters larger than 80 m tending toward smaller d/D . At large scales, increases in target strength with depth, combined with target curvature, may affect crater morphometry.