Cratering of asteroids and small bodies Original Research Article

Space missions have provided a variety of data related to the cratering processes of small Solar System bodies, including data on crater size and frequency, crater morphology, ejecta block distribution on their surfaces, and regolith development. This paper reviews laboratory impact experiments, scaling laws, and numerical simulations of cratering processes with reference to the relevant mission results. Emphasis is placed on the impact features expected in images of small bodies obtained by space missions, such as the volume and morphology of craters, the regolith, and the largest possible crater on the surface.