Topographical analysis of lunar impact craters using SELENE images Original Research Article

Lunar craters provide ample opportunities to study and understand crater morphology because of their vast numbers. This paper focuses on the topographical mapping of 33 Mare craters (Flat- and Round-floor) of ∼2 km diameter, using the SELENE DTM. Each crater was analyzed individually for its slope, regional topography and rim signature. The crater slope analysis revealed a small slope variation between the flat- and round-floor craters, in a similar diameter range, with some overlap between them. In the regional topographical analysis, the impact craters formed on the flat- and sloped-surface were analyzed in detail. The crater profile extracted through the rim crest was compared with its corresponding regional topographic profile (obtained over ∼3 crater radii). Four types of crater occurrences were observed: type i, ii and iv craters were formed on sloped surface, whereas type iii craters are formed on a flat surface with an equally raised rim. The occurrences of the rim crest on type i and ii craters are on the topographically elevated side of the terrain. But in type iv craters, the rim crest occurs on the topographically lower side of the terrain. The type iv craters uplifted the topographically lower terrain, which depicts the alteration that had taken place due to the impact. This topographical analysis suggests that the surrounding topography should also be considered for understanding the craters. Finally, from the crater rim signature analysis, it was evident that the prominent V-shaped incisions on the rim are caused due to landslide/slumping and by small impactors. This DTM based simple lunar crater analysis revealed information about the crater association with their surrounding topography and their morphological variations on flat- and sloped- surface.