New insight into lunar impact melt mobility from the LRO camera
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Abstract
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) is systematically imaging impact melt deposits in and around lunar craters at meter and sub-meter scales. These images reveal that lunar impact melts, although morphologically similar to terrestrial lava flows of similar size, exhibit distinctive features (e.g., erosional channels). Although generated in a single rapid event, the post-impact mobility and morphology of lunar impact melts is surprisingly complex. We present evidence for multi-stage influx of impact melt into flow lobes and crater floor ponds. Our volume and cooling time estimates for the post-emplacement melt movements noted in LROC images suggest that new flows can emerge from melt ponds an extended time period after the impact event.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | New insight into lunar impact melt mobility from the LRO camera |
| Series title | Geophysical Research Letters |
| DOI | 10.1029/2010GL044666 |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue | 21 |
| Year Published | 2010 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | American Geophysical Union |
| Contributing office(s) | Astrogeology Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center |
| Description | L21202; 5 p. |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |