Impact cratering records of the mid-sized, icy saturnian satellites

Kirchoff, M. R.; Schenk, P.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2009.12.007

Cited by 65 publications

(146 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…We have compared the size crater distribution on Phoebe predicted by our model with the observations of craters by Kirchoff & Schenk (2010). Our crater size frequency distribution agree with that obtained by Kirchoff & Schenk for very small impactors that produce craters of D = 0.15−1 km.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 81%

“…This distribution follows a power law with a cumulative index of 2.5 consistent with a Donhanyi size distribution. For craters of D = 1−4 km, Kirchoff & Schenk (2010) found a shallow slope and a deficiency of craters with D ∼ 1.5 km. This change of slope cannot be explained by our method and the contribution of Centaurs from the SD.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Kirchoff & Schenk (2010) obtain, a cumulative crater density for D ≥ 5 km of 2233±1117 based on crater counting from Cassini images. From our model, assuming an initial number of SDOs 100 times the present population, we obtain N c (D > 5 km) = 12−1640 (if s 2 = 3.5), again in good agreement with the values obtained by Kirchoff & Schenk (2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is consistent with the size distribution of very small objects being expected to approach a Donhanyi size distribution (s 2 = 3.5) and the craters then produced by those small projectiles (that are in the strength regime) following the same power-law size distribution. In addition Kirchoff & Schenk (2010) found that for D = 1−4 km, Phoebe's crater distribution has a shallow slope and this implies that Phoebe has a deficiency of craters with D ∼ 1.5 km. This change in slope cannot be explained by our method and is inconsistent with our proposed contribution of Centaurs from the SD to the craters on Phoebe, unless the SDF of SDOs that we consider is different.…”

Section: Craters On Phoebe By Sdosmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Origin of craters on Phoebe: comparison withCassini’s data

Sisto

Brunini

2011

A&A

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Context. Phoebe is one of the irregular satellites of Saturn. The images taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft have allowed us to analyze its surface and the craters on it. Aims. We study the craters on Phoebe produced by both Centaur objects from the scattered disk (SD) and plutinos that have escaped from the 3:2 mean motion resonance with Neptune and compare our results with the observations by Cassini. Methods. We use previously developed simulations of trans-Neptunian objects and a method that allows us to derive the number of craters and the cratering rate on Phoebe.Results. We determine the number of craters and the largest crater on Phoebe produced by Centaurs in the present configuration of the solar system. We obtain a present normalized rate of encounters of Centaurs with Saturn ofḞ = 7.1 × 10 −11 per year, from which we can infer the current cratering rate on Phoebe for each crater diameter. Conclusions. Our study and comparison with observations suggest that the main crater features on Phoebe are unlikely to have been produced in the present configuration of the solar system but that they must have been created instead when the SD were depleted in the early solar system. If this is indeed what happened and the craters were produced when Phoebe was a satellite of Saturn, then it must have been captured, very early on in the evolution of the solar system.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 81%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Craters On Phoebe By Sdosmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Origin of craters on Phoebe: comparison withCassini’s data

Sisto

Brunini

2011

A&A

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“…5 The extreme case with q 2 = 0 is not likely at all, e.g. because of the continuous SFD of basins on Iapetus and Rhea, which only exhibits a mild depletion of D 100 km size craters; see Kirchoff & Schenk (2010). On the other hand, Sheppard & Trujillo (2010) report an extremely shallow cumulative SFD of Neptune Trojans that is akin to low q 2 .…”

Section: Simple Stationary Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Constraining the cometary flux through the asteroid belt during the late heavy bombardment

Brož

Morbidelli

Bottke

et al. 2013

A&A

123

161

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In the Nice model, the late heavy bombardment (LHB) is related to an orbital instability of giant planets which causes a fast dynamical dispersion of a trans-Neptunian cometary disk. We study effects produced by these hypothetical cometary projectiles on main belt asteroids. In particular, we want to check whether the observed collisional families provide a lower or an upper limit for the cometary flux during the LHB. We present an updated list of observed asteroid families as identified in the space of synthetic proper elements by the hierarchical clustering method, colour data, albedo data and dynamical considerations and we estimate their physical parameters. We selected 12 families which may be related to the LHB according to their dynamical ages. We then used collisional models and N-body orbital simulations to gain insight into the long-term dynamical evolution of synthetic LHB families over 4 Gyr. We account for the mutual collisions between comets, main belt asteroids, and family members, the physical disruptions of comets, the Yarkovsky/YORP drift in semimajor axis, chaotic diffusion in eccentricity/inclination, or possible perturbations by the giantplanet migration. Assuming a "standard" size-frequency distribution of primordial comets, we predict the number of families with parent-body sizes D PB ≥ 200 km -created during the LHB and subsequent 4 Gyr of collisional evolution -which seems consistent with observations. However, more than 100 asteroid families with D PB ≥ 100 km should be created at the same time which are not observed. This discrepancy can be nevertheless explained by the following processes: i) asteroid families are efficiently destroyed by comminution (via collisional cascade), ii) disruptions of comets below some critical perihelion distance (q < ∼ 1.5 AU) are common. Given the freedom in the cometary-disruption law, we cannot provide stringent limits on the cometary flux, but we can conclude that the observed distribution of asteroid families does not contradict with a cometary LHB.

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Particle deposition on the saturnian satellites from ephemeral cryovolcanism on Enceladus

Hirata

Miyamoto

Showman

2014

Geophysical Research Letters

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The geologically active south pole of Enceladus generates a plume of micron-sized particles, which likely form Saturn's tenuous E-ring extending from the orbit of Mimas to Titan. Interactions between these particles and satellites have been suggested, though only as very thin surficial phenomena. We scrutinize high-resolution images with a newly developed numerical shape model of Helene and find that the leading hemisphere of Helene is covered by thick deposits of E-ring particles, which occasionally collapse to form gully-like depressions. The depths of the resultant gullies and near-absence of small craters on the leading hemisphere indicate that the deposit is tens to hundreds of meters thick. The ages of the deposits are less than several tens of My, which coincides well with similar deposits found on Telesto and Calypso. Our findings as well as previous theoretical work collectively indicate that the cryovolcanic activity currently occurring on Enceladus is ephemeral.

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Impact cratering records of the mid-sized, icy saturnian satellites

Cited by 65 publications

References 38 publications

Origin of craters on Phoebe: comparison withCassini’s data

Origin of craters on Phoebe: comparison withCassini’s data

Constraining the cometary flux through the asteroid belt during the late heavy bombardment

Particle deposition on the saturnian satellites from ephemeral cryovolcanism on Enceladus

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