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The missing large impact craters on Ceres

Journal
Date Issued
2016
Author(s)
Marchi, S.
•
Ermakov, A. I.
•
Raymond, C. A.
•
Fu, R. R.
•
O'Brien, D. P.
•
Bland, M. T.
•
Ammannito, E.
•
•
Bowling, T.
•
Schenk, P.
•
Scully, J. E. C.
•
Buczkowski, D. L.
•
Williams, D. A.
•
Hiesinger, H.
•
Russell, C. T.
DOI
Abstract
Asteroids provide fundamental clues to the formation and evolution of planetesimals. Collisional models based on the depletion of the primordial main belt of asteroids predict 10-15 craters >400 km should have formed on Ceres, the largest object between Mars and Jupiter, over the last 4.55 Gyr. Likewise, an extrapolation from the asteroid Vesta would require at least 6-7 such basins. However, Ceres' surface appears devoid of impact craters >~280 km. Here, we show a significant depletion of cerean craters down to 100-150 km in diameter. The overall scarcity of recognizable large craters is incompatible with collisional models, even in the case of a late implantation of Ceres in the main belt, a possibility raised by the presence of ammoniated phyllosilicates. Our results indicate that a significant population of large craters has been obliterated, implying that long-wavelength topography viscously relaxed or that Ceres experienced protracted widespread resurfacing.
Volume
7
Issue
1
Start page
12257
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
2041-1723
Ads BibCode
2016NatCo...712257M
Rights
open.access
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