Impact Melt-Bearing Deposits Around Martian Craters
Abstract
In this work, we investigate impact melt emplacement around Martian craters. We compare our results to melt emplacement processes found on Venus, the Moon, and Mercury. We tentatively find Martian melt emplacement more closely resembles Venusian emplacement, rather than lunar emplacement. This suggests Martian melt emplacement likely takes place during the excavation stage where impactor momentum is imparted to the melt. Mercury and Mars have amongst the highest and lowest average impact velocities, respectively, of terrestrial bodies in the Solar System, but a significant difference in emplacement is not observed. This suggests impact velocity may not have as large an influence on melt emplacement as previously thought. It appears lunar melt emplacement is distinct amongst the rocky bodies, where melt is mobilized beyond the crater rim when given additional momentum from central uplift during the modification stage of crater formation.