Minty Fresh

A fresh young impact in the lunar highlands. LROC NAC M1104423389L, image width is 1.7 km [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

This Copernican-aged crater is located in the highlands at 41.571°N, 227.129°E. While the crater diameter is ~330 meters, the rays of high reflectance ejecta extend more than two crater diameters from the rim in all directions. The material in the ejecta is higher in reflectance compared to the surrounding material because it was recently exposed to the surface. Recently exposed material is called fresh since it is relatively unaffected by space weathering processes.

The layers of ejecta are thicker closer to the crater rim, and become progressively thinner with distance from the crater rim. Also the rays of ejecta furthest from the crater rim mix more with the surrounding material. The overall effect causes higher reflectance near the rim of the crater and lower reflectance of the ejecta as you get further away from the rim.

LROC WAC context image 85 km across. The white circle shows the location of the fresh impact in the Featured Image [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Explore the entire NAC frame!

Related Images:

Ejecta Starburst

Action Shot

Ejecta sweeps the surface

Published by Sarah Braden on 6 December 2012