Absolute model age of lunar Finsen crater and geologic implications
Abstract
As the primary source of materials measured inside of Von Kármán crater by the Chang'e-4 rover, the absolute model age (AMA) of Finsen crater is derived by the crater size-frequency distribution (CSFD) measurements. Both cumulative and differential fits reveal an AMA of ~3.5 Ga, indicating Finsen crater is Imbrium-aged. Based on thickness estimation of the Finsen crater ejecta-sourced fine-grained regolith at Chang'e-4 landing site (~12 m) (Lai et al., 2019; Li et al., 2020), the average regolith growth rate at the landing site is estimated to be about 3.4 m/Gyr. The current depths of 25 largest craters on the floor of Finsen crater are calculated by the profile-average-depth method, and their original depths are estimated under the assumption that the initial depth-to-diameter (d/D) ratio is 0.2. Depth differences between current and estimated original depths, together with the AMA of Finsen crater, derive the average crater degradation/infilling rate within Finsen crater is about 21 ± 3 m/Gyr.
- Publication:
-
Icarus
- Pub Date:
- January 2021
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.icarus.2020.114046
- Bibcode:
- 2021Icar..35414046G
- Keywords:
-
- Finsen crater;
- Absolute model age;
- Chang'e-4 landing site;
- Regolith growth rate;
- Crater degradation/infilling rate