DLR Institute of Planetary Research - 13.11.2011 - Mantled surface of Vesta with secondaries

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13.11.2011 - Mantled surface of Vesta with secondaries

This Dawn FC (framing camera) image shows a part of the surface of Vesta, which is mantled (i.e. covered) by an ejecta blanket. This ejecta blanket is evident as the smoothly textured surface visible across the image. Ejecta blankets consist of small debris, which are ejected as impacts form craters. The crater from which this ejecta blanket originates may be the large shadowed crater in the top left of the image, or may be another nearby large crater outside of the image. There are a number of smaller, younger craters and irregularly shaped, small depressions on top of this ejecta blanket, particularly in the right side of the image. Solitary impact craters are formed by impacts of material from space. But the crater chains and irregularly shaped depressions are probably formed by boulders and other debris re-impacting the surface of Vesta after they are ejected from a nearby large impact. As they are impacting Vesta for the second time these crater chains and irregular depressions are called secondaries.

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