Origin of the rock abundance anomaly at Tsiolkovskiy crater

Abstract:

Early Diviner measurements have indicated that Tsiolkovskiy crater has unexpectedly high rock abundance relative to its age. New datasets from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter enable further analysis of this crater through measurements of surface and near-subsurface rock populations at a variety of spatial scales and wavelengths. We used Diviner, Mini-RF, and LROC datasets to analyze the block population and distribution around Tsiolkovskiy crater. We found that Tsiolkovskiy has an external deposit where (1) Diviner rock abundance was anomalously high, similar to Copernican aged craters, (2) Diviner estimates of rock-free regolith thickness were anomalously low, consistent with <1.5 Ga of regolith gardening, (3) Mini-RF CPR indicated well preserved massive impact melt, which is rough at the decimeter scale, and (4) LROC imagery provided clear examples of surface block population morphology similar to the crater interior. Furthermore, we used LROC imagery to perform a new calculation of modeled crater age consistent with an ancient origin at least 3.2 Ga. Together these data showed that Tsiolkovskiy has a unique massive impact melt and blocky ejecta deposit for a crater of its size and age and may be the youngest crater capable of producing this type and scale of deposit. To reconcile the anomalously blocky appearance of Tsiolkovskiy with its age, we propose mechanisms that support a higher surface rock production rate. The most likely scenario requires (1) Tsiolkovkiy’s impactor and target properties and/or impact geometry to produce a massive impact melt deposit with sufficiently large blocks, and (2) the recent disruption of surface fines exposing original blocks from local, regional, and/or antipodal impacts. The source of this disruption is unknown, but Tsiolkovskiy crater is located antipodal to the Copernican-aged Aristarchus crater. Future modeling of the seismic effects of this impact may help to determine whether this was a likely source for the recent surface modification at Tsiolkovskiy crater.