The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects

Autores
Di Sisto, Romina Paula; Zanardi, M.
Año de publicación
2013
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Context. The Saturnian satellite system has been observed in detail by the Cassini-Huygens mission. These satellites present different surface features, including impact craters caused by small objects probably coming from the trans-Neptunian region. Aims. In this paper we calculate the production of craters on the mid-sized Saturnian satellites produced by Centaurs from the scattered disk (SD) and plutinos in order to determine this contribution, and we compare our estimations with the Cassini observations. Methods. We used a method developed in a previous paper that uses a numerical investigation of the dynamical evolution of Centaur objects to calculate the production of craters. We used a size-frequency distribution (SFD) of scattered disk objects (SDOs) as a power law with a break at diameters d = 60 km considering two cases for the differential power-law index: s2 = 2.5 and s2 = 3.5 for d < 60 km. Results. We calculated the number of craters, the greatest crater produced by Centaurs from the SD and plutinos, and the present cratering rate on each of the mid-sized satellites, for both cases of the SFD of SDOs considered. The contribution of plutinos is negligible compared to SDOs. From our calculations and the comparison with observations we note that the calculated number of craters for s2 = 3.5 is in general nearer the observed number. However, in general for smaller craters, the observed number is less than the calculated one. This trend can be explained by at least two mechanisms. On the one hand, this could be caused by an erasing process that gradually buries the craters, which does not affect large craters. On the other hand, the comparison of the calculated and observed crater size-frequency distribution for different size ranges implies that for d < 60 km, the SFD of SDOs is consistent with the assumed index s2 = 3.5, for d ≳ 0.2−1.4 km and for d ≲ 0.2−1.4 km, it is consistent with s2 = 2.5. Then in the range d ~ 0.2−1.4 km, the SFD of SDOs could have a new break. This change of slope could explain the reduction of small craters, at least for some cases. Conclusions. We found a good agreement when comparing our results with observations. However, independent determination of surface ages and geological processes are needed to determine if there is a new break on the SFD of SDOs, if there is a planetocentric source of craters in the Saturnian system, and which craters are primordial.
Fil: Di Sisto, Romina Paula. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica de la Plata; Argentina
Fil: Zanardi, M.. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina
Materia
Numerical methods
Planets
Satellites
Kuiper Belt
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/10663

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oai_identifier_str oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/10663
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network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objectsDi Sisto, Romina PaulaZanardi, M.Numerical methodsPlanetsSatellitesKuiper Belthttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.3https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Context. The Saturnian satellite system has been observed in detail by the Cassini-Huygens mission. These satellites present different surface features, including impact craters caused by small objects probably coming from the trans-Neptunian region. Aims. In this paper we calculate the production of craters on the mid-sized Saturnian satellites produced by Centaurs from the scattered disk (SD) and plutinos in order to determine this contribution, and we compare our estimations with the Cassini observations. Methods. We used a method developed in a previous paper that uses a numerical investigation of the dynamical evolution of Centaur objects to calculate the production of craters. We used a size-frequency distribution (SFD) of scattered disk objects (SDOs) as a power law with a break at diameters d = 60 km considering two cases for the differential power-law index: s2 = 2.5 and s2 = 3.5 for d < 60 km. Results. We calculated the number of craters, the greatest crater produced by Centaurs from the SD and plutinos, and the present cratering rate on each of the mid-sized satellites, for both cases of the SFD of SDOs considered. The contribution of plutinos is negligible compared to SDOs. From our calculations and the comparison with observations we note that the calculated number of craters for s2 = 3.5 is in general nearer the observed number. However, in general for smaller craters, the observed number is less than the calculated one. This trend can be explained by at least two mechanisms. On the one hand, this could be caused by an erasing process that gradually buries the craters, which does not affect large craters. On the other hand, the comparison of the calculated and observed crater size-frequency distribution for different size ranges implies that for d < 60 km, the SFD of SDOs is consistent with the assumed index s2 = 3.5, for d ≳ 0.2−1.4 km and for d ≲ 0.2−1.4 km, it is consistent with s2 = 2.5. Then in the range d ~ 0.2−1.4 km, the SFD of SDOs could have a new break. This change of slope could explain the reduction of small craters, at least for some cases. Conclusions. We found a good agreement when comparing our results with observations. However, independent determination of surface ages and geological processes are needed to determine if there is a new break on the SFD of SDOs, if there is a planetocentric source of craters in the Saturnian system, and which craters are primordial.Fil: Di Sisto, Romina Paula. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica de la Plata; ArgentinaFil: Zanardi, M.. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; ArgentinaEdp Sciences2013-05info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/10663Di Sisto, Romina Paula; Zanardi, M.; The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects; Edp Sciences; Astronomy And Astrophysics; 533; 5-2013; 1-90004-6361enginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/http://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2013/05/aa20568-12/aa20568-12.htmlinfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201220568info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-09-29T09:38:34Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/10663instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-09-29 09:38:34.951CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects
title The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects
spellingShingle The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects
Di Sisto, Romina Paula
Numerical methods
Planets
Satellites
Kuiper Belt
title_short The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects
title_full The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects
title_fullStr The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects
title_full_unstemmed The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects
title_sort The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Di Sisto, Romina Paula
Zanardi, M.
author Di Sisto, Romina Paula
author_facet Di Sisto, Romina Paula
Zanardi, M.
author_role author
author2 Zanardi, M.
author2_role author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Numerical methods
Planets
Satellites
Kuiper Belt
topic Numerical methods
Planets
Satellites
Kuiper Belt
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.3
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Context. The Saturnian satellite system has been observed in detail by the Cassini-Huygens mission. These satellites present different surface features, including impact craters caused by small objects probably coming from the trans-Neptunian region. Aims. In this paper we calculate the production of craters on the mid-sized Saturnian satellites produced by Centaurs from the scattered disk (SD) and plutinos in order to determine this contribution, and we compare our estimations with the Cassini observations. Methods. We used a method developed in a previous paper that uses a numerical investigation of the dynamical evolution of Centaur objects to calculate the production of craters. We used a size-frequency distribution (SFD) of scattered disk objects (SDOs) as a power law with a break at diameters d = 60 km considering two cases for the differential power-law index: s2 = 2.5 and s2 = 3.5 for d < 60 km. Results. We calculated the number of craters, the greatest crater produced by Centaurs from the SD and plutinos, and the present cratering rate on each of the mid-sized satellites, for both cases of the SFD of SDOs considered. The contribution of plutinos is negligible compared to SDOs. From our calculations and the comparison with observations we note that the calculated number of craters for s2 = 3.5 is in general nearer the observed number. However, in general for smaller craters, the observed number is less than the calculated one. This trend can be explained by at least two mechanisms. On the one hand, this could be caused by an erasing process that gradually buries the craters, which does not affect large craters. On the other hand, the comparison of the calculated and observed crater size-frequency distribution for different size ranges implies that for d < 60 km, the SFD of SDOs is consistent with the assumed index s2 = 3.5, for d ≳ 0.2−1.4 km and for d ≲ 0.2−1.4 km, it is consistent with s2 = 2.5. Then in the range d ~ 0.2−1.4 km, the SFD of SDOs could have a new break. This change of slope could explain the reduction of small craters, at least for some cases. Conclusions. We found a good agreement when comparing our results with observations. However, independent determination of surface ages and geological processes are needed to determine if there is a new break on the SFD of SDOs, if there is a planetocentric source of craters in the Saturnian system, and which craters are primordial.
Fil: Di Sisto, Romina Paula. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica de la Plata; Argentina
Fil: Zanardi, M.. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina
description Context. The Saturnian satellite system has been observed in detail by the Cassini-Huygens mission. These satellites present different surface features, including impact craters caused by small objects probably coming from the trans-Neptunian region. Aims. In this paper we calculate the production of craters on the mid-sized Saturnian satellites produced by Centaurs from the scattered disk (SD) and plutinos in order to determine this contribution, and we compare our estimations with the Cassini observations. Methods. We used a method developed in a previous paper that uses a numerical investigation of the dynamical evolution of Centaur objects to calculate the production of craters. We used a size-frequency distribution (SFD) of scattered disk objects (SDOs) as a power law with a break at diameters d = 60 km considering two cases for the differential power-law index: s2 = 2.5 and s2 = 3.5 for d < 60 km. Results. We calculated the number of craters, the greatest crater produced by Centaurs from the SD and plutinos, and the present cratering rate on each of the mid-sized satellites, for both cases of the SFD of SDOs considered. The contribution of plutinos is negligible compared to SDOs. From our calculations and the comparison with observations we note that the calculated number of craters for s2 = 3.5 is in general nearer the observed number. However, in general for smaller craters, the observed number is less than the calculated one. This trend can be explained by at least two mechanisms. On the one hand, this could be caused by an erasing process that gradually buries the craters, which does not affect large craters. On the other hand, the comparison of the calculated and observed crater size-frequency distribution for different size ranges implies that for d < 60 km, the SFD of SDOs is consistent with the assumed index s2 = 3.5, for d ≳ 0.2−1.4 km and for d ≲ 0.2−1.4 km, it is consistent with s2 = 2.5. Then in the range d ~ 0.2−1.4 km, the SFD of SDOs could have a new break. This change of slope could explain the reduction of small craters, at least for some cases. Conclusions. We found a good agreement when comparing our results with observations. However, independent determination of surface ages and geological processes are needed to determine if there is a new break on the SFD of SDOs, if there is a planetocentric source of craters in the Saturnian system, and which craters are primordial.
publishDate 2013
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2013-05
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/10663
Di Sisto, Romina Paula; Zanardi, M.; The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects; Edp Sciences; Astronomy And Astrophysics; 533; 5-2013; 1-9
0004-6361
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/10663
identifier_str_mv Di Sisto, Romina Paula; Zanardi, M.; The production of craters on the mid-sized saturnian satelites by Centaur objects; Edp Sciences; Astronomy And Astrophysics; 533; 5-2013; 1-9
0004-6361
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/http://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2013/05/aa20568-12/aa20568-12.html
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201220568
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Edp Sciences
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Edp Sciences
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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