177 D54. Planetary Potpourri (Posters)

Monday, 23 October 2017
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Halls 4EF

CHARACTERISTICS OF IMPACT CRATERS IN THE MAHUEA THOLUS QUADRANGLE (V-49), VENUS

Paper number: 177-4
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

The Mahuea Tholus quadrangle (V-49), Venus, extends from 25-50°S and 150-180°E and encompasses approximately 6,500,000 km2. The quadrangle has largely been affected by volcanic and tectonic processes, but also contains 13 confirmed impact craters (Table 1), which accounts for ~1% of the total number of craters on Venus; 12 of the craters occur entirely within V-49 and one crater, Austen, straddles the boundary between V-49 and V-37 to the north. In addition to impact structures, at least four radar dark circular splotches that do not host an impact crater occur within V-49. We interpret these splotches as the result of air burst events that did not create a crater structure; two of these splotches (splotches A and B) are spatially associated with Qarlygha and Kaikilani impact craters and may be tied to their occurrence. Impact craters range from 12-100 km in diameter with an average diameter of ~20 km. All craters are associated with ejecta blankets and at least three craters – Howe, Onissya, and Valadon – also host fluidized ejecta materials. Onissya appears to represent a possible double crater. Located east of Howe, and potentially associated with its formation, is a radar-bright, ‘streaky’ patch that could be either ejecta or additional fluidized material. Seven craters exhibit radar-dark floors. Five craters exhibit a central peak and the occurrence of a central peak is indeterminate for five craters (in Table 1). Ten craters appear to have occurred after tectonism within V-49 and the remaining three craters have been deformed by wrinkle ridges and fractures meaning they predate at least some tectonic activity in V-49. Future work will further attempt to constrain crater stratigraphy within V-49.

Table 1. Impact features of V-49

Crater name

Latitude

(deg N.)

Longitude

(deg E.)

Diameter

(km)

Halo

Central Peak

Deformation

Austen

-25

168.4

45.1

N

Y

Y

Ayana

-29.2

175.5

13.8

Y

?

N

Howe

-45.7

174.8

38.6

Y

Y

N

Kaikilani

-32.8

163.2

19.9

Y

Y

N

Onissya

-25.6

150.2

8.2

Y

N

N

Pavlinka

-25.5

158.7

7.5

N

N

Y

Philomena

-40.7

151.9

14.8

Y

?

N

Qarlygha

-33

162.9

9.3

Y

N

N

Radhika

-30.3

166.4

7.9

Y

N

N

Whitney

-30.2

151.3

42.5

N

Y

Y

Ulpu

-35.7

179

7

Y

?

N

Valadon

-49

167.7

25.2

Y

Y

N

Yasuko

-26.1

169

10.6

Y

?

N

Zemfira

-46.2

157.7

11.4

Y

?

N

Splotch A

-33.3

161.9

38.1

Splotch B

-33.4

162.8

19.5

Splotch C

-36.4

162.5

61.9

Splotch D

-41.7

158.2

52.9

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 49, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2017AM-306199

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