Morphometric analysis of Pluto impact craters

• Grant number: 18/22724-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2019
• End date: January 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences
• Principal Investigator: Alvaro Penteado Crósta
• Grantee: Caio Vidaurre Nassif Villaça
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The data concerning the morphometry of impact craters are fundamental for understanding the evolution of the Solar System. In July 2015, the New Horizons probe imaged approximately 35% of Pluto's surface. Since then, some preliminary studies on the morphometry of its impact craters have been performed, and the subject has been further elaborated. The goal of this work is to perform a detailed analysis of the morphometry of the impact craters of Pluto, using images of the mission New Horizons with resolution of 80 and 400 m/px. We are going to use two methods for a morphometric analysis: the Pluto global MDE (Digital Elevation Model) with 300 m/px resolution created from stereoscopic pairs, and the crater shadow length analysis. Robbins et al. (2017) created a database with all the circular structures of the surface of Pluto, containing approximately 5.200 structures counted as probable craters. We intend to select different geomorphologically distinct regions (eg Cthulhu Regio, Smooth Terrains, Tartarus Dorsa) and to obtain data on crater depth, diameter, internal and external wall inclination, central peak height (in the case of complex craters) of the crater. The surface of Pluto will be divided according to its different geomorphological domains in order to analyze possible differences in the dynamics of impact and rate of erosion in them. In addition, we intend to investigate the transition diameter between simple and complex Pluto craters more accurately and compare all morphometric data with other bodies of the Solar System that have composition, size and gravitational conditions similar to the dwarf planet. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

NASSIF VILLACA, CAIO VIDAURRE; CROSTA, ALVARO PENTEADO; GROHMANN, CARLOS HENRIQUE. orphometric Analysis of Pluto's Impact Crater. REMOTE SENSING, v. 13, n. 3, FEB 2021. (18/22724-4)

NASSIF VILLACA, CAIO VIDAURRE; CROSTA, ALVARO PENTEADO; GROHMANN, CARLOS HENRIQUE. Morphometric Analysis of Pluto's Impact Craters. REMOTE SENSING, v. 13, n. 3, p. 17-pg., 2021-02-01. (18/22724-4)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

VILLAÇA, Caio Vidaurre Nassif. Morphometric analysis of Pluto's impact craters. 2021. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Geociências Campinas, SP.