[meteorite-list] "Secondary" craters on Mars and Carancas
E.P. Grondine
epgrondine at yahoo.com
Tue Apr 8 11:18:22 EDT 2008
Hi all -
Speaking of the small crater at Carancas, a prominent
theory put forward to explain the number of craters on
Mars is "secondary" craters formed by the impact of
large ejecta from "primary" impacts, i.e.:
http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_007059_1975
Given the energy required to form an impact crater of
any size, I am very suspicious of this hypothesis. I
can't see how any large ejecta from a "primary" impact
could reach sufficient velocity to have the energy
necessary to form these "secondary" craters, and I
think that some may be engaging in wishful thinking in
this regard.
Given what we know of asteroids and comets, smaller
chunks of a "primary" impactor impacting at the same
time might be a more viable hypothesis.
Any thoughts, anyone?
good hunting all,
("d" is too close to "f" with my stroke, and "goof" is
as good a word as "good" to a spell checker.)
E.P. Grondine
Man and Impact in the Americas
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