Subtypes
- (1)
Explosive crater
- (1.1)
Primary impact structure produced by shock waves resulting from a hypervelocity impact. The term “crater” usually refers to smaller (approx. <300 km on the Moon) impact craters (simple crater, complex crater); larger craters, usually with inner and external rings are termed basins.
- (1.2)
Secondary impact crater (secondary crater).
- (1.3)
Volcanic crater (caldera [explosive], pit crater, crater of a composite volcano).
- (1.1)
- (2)
Nonexplosive “crater” (only informally called craters)
- (2.1)
Collapsed tumulus
- (2.2)
Collapsed pingo
- (2.3)
Collapse caldera
- (2.4)
Pit: rimless depression of any origin
- (2.4.1)
Pit crater: generally refers to volcanic, magmatic, or tectonic pits.
- (2.4.2)
Penetration pit: the depression produced without shock waves by a low-velocity impact.
...
- (2.4.1)
- (2.1)
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References
Greeley R, Gault DRE (1979) Endogenic craters on basaltic lava flows: size frequency distribution. Lunar Planet Sci Conf 10:2919–2933
IAU (1962) Commission Pour L’etude Physique des Planetes et des Satellites In: Sadler DH (Ed) Proceedings of the eleventh general assembly (Berkeley 1961) transactions of the IAU, vol XIB. Academic, London
IAU Gazetteer (2011) Gazetter of planetary nomenclature. International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/
Wilhelms DE (1987) The geologic history of the moon. USGS Professional paper 1348
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Hargitai, H. (2015). Crater. In: Hargitai, H., Kereszturi, Á. (eds) Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3134-3_71
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