1987/12/30 by J. B. Plescia · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Astro and Planetary Science #High-pressure geophysics and materials #Planetary Science and Exploration #Impact crater #Geology #Period (music) #Astrobiology #Physics
paper · doi:10.1029/ja092ia13p14918
openalex publication_date 1987/12/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Crater size‐frequency data for Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon are presented, and the implications of those data are discussed in terms of the geologic histories of these bodies and the populations of objects that have cratered them. The surfaces of Oberon and Umbriel are old and are inferred to date to a period early in their histories when the cratering rate was significantly higher than at present. No significant endogenic resurfacing appears to have occurred on either body after that inferred period of intense cratering. Titania exhibits the youngest surface of these three and appears to have undergone almost complete endogenic resurfacing. Among the Uranian satellites the surfaces of Oberon and Umbriel are interpreted to be the oldest, that of Titania intermediate, and those of Ariel and parts of Miranda the youngest. The size‐frequency distributions for these satellites have an average slope of about −3, indicative of a steep crater production function. The cumulative size‐frequency data for these Uranian satellites may be interpreted to indicate that parts of their surfaces are saturated with craters at small diameters.