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Science 19 October 1990:
Vol. 250. no. 4979, pp. 437 - 439
DOI: 10.1126/science.250.4979.437
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Articles

The Impact Cratering Record on Triton

Robert G. Strom 1, Steven K. Croft 1, and Joseph M. Boyce 2

1 Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
2 NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546

Impact craters on Triton are scarce owing to the relatively recent resurfacing by icy melts. The most heavily cratered surface has a crater density about the same as the lunar maria. The transition diameter from simple to complex craters occurs at a diameter of about 11 kilometers, and the depth-diameter relationship is similar to that of other icy satellites when gravity is taken into account. The crater size-frequency distribution has a differential -3 slope (cumulative -2 slope) and is the same as that for the fresh crater population on Miranda. The most heavily cratered region is on the leading hemisphere in Triton's orbit. Triton may have a leading-trailing asymmetry in its crater population. Based primarily on the similarity of size distributions on Triton and Miranda and the relatively young surface on Triton, the source of Triton's craters is probably comets. The very peculiar size distribution of sharp craters on the "cantaloupe" terrain and other evidence suggests they are volcanic explosion craters.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Large Quasi-Circular Features Beneath Frost on Triton.
P. Helfenstein, P. HELFENSTEIN, J. VEVERKA, D. MCCARTHY, P. LEE, and J. HILLIER (1992)
Science 255, 824-826
   Abstract »    PDF »
Triton's Global Heat Budget.
R. H. Brown, R. H. BROWN, T. V. JOHNSON, J. D. GOGUEN, G. SCHUBERT, and M. N. ROSS (1991)
Science 251, 1465-1467
   Abstract »    PDF »


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