Definition
An impact crater that forms with a rim planform that is noticeably elliptical in shape; an elliptical crater is often defined as having a major axis that is at least 120 % of the minor axis (e.g., Bottke et al. 2000).
Description
Impact craters exhibiting elliptical plan view. Features of elliptical craters typically include some combination of butterfly ejecta or saddle shaped rim, ricochet crater, median floor ridge (Bottke et al. 2000), systematically imbricated slices and enhanced shortening of the central uplift (Scherler et al. 2006), and preferential distribution of impact melts (Poelchau 2010, and refs therein) (Fig. 1).
Different forms and combinations (multiple and single, overlapping and separated) of possible elliptical craters. (a) Unusual “crater chain” on Ganymede the 76 km long Nanshe Catena displaying butterfly ejectapattern....
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Andrews-Hanna JC, Zuber MT (2010) Elliptical craters and basins on the terrestrial planets. GSA Spec Pap 465:1–13. doi:10.1130/2010.2465(01)
Barlow NG, Osborne P (2001) Searching for isolated crater clusters on Mars. Lunar Planet Sci XXXII, abstract #1602, Houston
Bottke WF Jr, Love SG, Tytell D, Glotch T (2000) Interpreting the elliptical crater populations on Mars, Venus, and the Moon. Icarus 145:108–121. doi:10.1006/icar.1999.6323
Chappelow JE, Herrick RR (2008) On the origin of a double, oblique impact on Mars. Icarus 197:452–457
Collins GS, Elbeshausen D, Davison TM, Robbins SJ, Hynek BM (2011) The size-frequency distribution of elliptical impact craters. Earth Planet Sci Lett 310:1–8
Gault DE, Wedekind JA (1978) Experimental studies of oblique impacts. Proc Lunar Sci Conf 9:3843–3875, Houston
Herrick RR, Hessen KK (2006) The planforms of low-angle impact craters in the northern hemisphere of Mars. Meteorit Planet Sci 41(Nr 10):1483–1495
Kenkmann T, Poelchau MH (2008) The structural inventory of oblique impact craters. Large Meteor Impact Planet Evol I #3057
Kenkmann T, Poelchau MH (2009) Low-angle collision with Earth: the elliptical impact crater Matt Wilson, Northern Territory, Australia. Geology 37:459–462
Melosh HJ (1989) Impact cratering: a geologic process. Oxford University Press, New York
Poelchau MH (2010) The subsurface structure of oblique impact craters. Dissertation, Freien Universität Berlin
Schenk PM (n.d.) Catena on ganymede. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/schenk/chain.html
Scherler D, Kenkmann T, Jahn A (2006) Structural record of an oblique impact. Earth Planet Sci Lett 248:43–53
Schultz PH, Lutz-Garihan AB (1982) Grazing impacts on Mars: a record of lost satellites. J Geophys Res 87(Suppl):A84–A96
Schultz PH, Wrobel KE (2012) The oblique impact Hale and its consequences on Mars. J Geophys Res 117, E04001. doi:10.1029/2011JE003843
Schultz PH, van der Bogert CH, Pieters CM (1998) The possible generation of friction melts at the lunar crater, buys-ballot. Lunar Planet Sci XXIX, abstract #1863, Houston
van der Kolk DA, Tribbett KL, Grosfils EB, Sakimoto SEH, Mendelson CV, Bleacher JE (2001) Orcus Patera, Mars: impact crater or volcanic caldera? Lunar Planet Sci XXXII, abstract #1085, Houston
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this entry
Cite this entry
Herrick, R.R. (2014). Elliptical Crater (Oblique Impact). In: Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_135-2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_135-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-9213-9
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences