New morphometric data for fresh lunar craters

Abstract

Morphometric relations have been determined for 2598 fresh craters on the lunar nearside using data given in the catalog of Wood and Andersson (1978). For each of five principal morphological types, typified by Albategnius C, Biot, Sosigenes, Triesnecker, and Tycho, statistical relations are documented for the following: crater diameter and depth; floor diameter and crater diameter; central peak height and crater diameter; average wall slope and crater depth; central peak occurrence and crater diameter; occurrence of scallops or terraces and crater diameter. The first four relations generally confirm the conclusions of Pike (1977), but the last two differ from results reported by Smith and Sanchez (1973). Small (diameter less than 20 km) flat-floored craters formed in mare terrains are as much as 10% deeper than those formed in the highlands, and the depths of small bowl-shaped craters reflect even greater dependence on terrain. Larger, scalloped-walled craters are deeper in highland terrain than on the maria. Although wall failure does not occur until the crater diameter reaches 13 km, central peaks are found in flat floor craters as small as 2 km.