Revisiting the Geology of the Schrödinger Impact Basin

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Author Names and Affiliations

First Name:

Bhairavi

Last Name:

Shankar

Institution:

University of Western Ontario

Co-authors:

Gordon R. Osinski, Dept. of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, Canada

Co-authors:

Irene Antonenko, Dept. of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, Canada

Co-authors:

Philip J. Stooke, Dept. of Geography, University of Western Ontario, Canada

The Schrödinger impact basin, located within the larger South Pole – Aitken basin, has a rim-to-rim diameter of 312 km, and a rim-to-floor depth of 2–3 km. Features observed within Schrödinger, such as rough and smooth shocked materials, indicate that a substantial impact-related melt unit was generated.

Using newly released laser altimeter and high resolution narrow angle camera data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission, we map the location and extent of melt units such as sheets, ponds, and veneers. Models predict that, for large complex craters, highly shocked impact melt deposits should occur as sheets on basin floors, ponds on terraced surfaces and along crater rims, and thin veneers coating continuous ejecta deposits. Preliminary observations indicate that smooth-textured melt deposits are located above the crater rim of Schrödinger. Furthermore, this melt appears to have flowed down slope along terraced walls. The lack of fractured chill crust edges along the crater rim supports models that suggest melt emplacement occurs after terracing events have begun. Further identification and quantification of melt ponds associated with Schrödinger will allow us to better assess such models of impact melt emplacement mechanisms.

Presenter Information

First Name:

Bhairavi

Last Name:

Shankar

Affiliation:

University of Western Ontario