Talk by Jack Finch on Impact Cratering and The Martian Frontier to the Manchester Astronomical Society
Talk Outline
Since the first observation of the lunar surface, impact craters and the underlying formation process has long been studied with the aim of probing properties of planetary surface and sub-surface regions. Considered to be the most controversial hypothesis put forward during the investigation of Mars is that of the existence of a Northern ocean covering up to a third of the planetary surface. When analysing planetary surfaces, crater densities, and crater counting methods, are often employed when obtaining a surface’s relative age. Conclusions of this led to the assumption that the Northern lowland region presents a much younger surface than that of the Southern highland region. Little experimental investigation has been carried out however into the cratering processes occurring within the proposed Martian permafrost material suspected to be present over much of the surface and shallow sub- surface of the Northern lowland region. I will present current results of hypervelocity impact cratering experiments into Martian permafrost targets, and the potential implications these may have to previous assumptions made regarding the cratering record of the Martian surface.
Figure Caption
Population of Martian craters with diameters ≥1 km compiled by (Robbins and Hynek, 2012) overlain on Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data. Identified craters are overwhelmingly concentrated within the Southern hemisphere of Mars, a feature likely caused by enhanced degradation of impact features within the unconsolidated material present in the lowland region.
For more detailed about Jack Finch and his research link here.