Co-Orbital Debris as a Source of Small Impactors and Albedo Features on Tethys

Abstract

Ejecta fragments from cratering on Tethys coorbital (Trojan) moons result in impacts onto Tethys that are unusual in terms of size distribution, impact velocity, and location. We find that crater ejecta escaping from L4 (Telesto) or L5 (Calypso) can explain two major features of Tethys' geologic record: the lens-shaped albedo feature on the far side and the overall surplus of 1-20 km diameter impact craters. Further analysis of these connections can help tie together our understanding of Saturnian system dynamical evolution and chronometry.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2017
Accession Number
AD1034507

Entities

People

  • A. R. Rhoden
  • E. Asphaug
  • M. Nayak
  • S. Ferguson

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Air Force
  • Craters
  • Debris
  • Department Of Defense
  • Diameters
  • Ejecta
  • Escape Velocity
  • High Resolution
  • Low Angles
  • Planetary Sciences
  • Scaling Laws
  • Schools
  • Space Debris
  • Space Exploration
  • Standards
  • Universities

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Explosive Engineering.
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris