A comparison of secondary craters on the Moon, Mercury, and Mars

Abstract

Craters on the Moon, Mars, and Mercury display contrasting styles of ejecta facies that presumably reflect different cratering environments (i.e., gravity, atmosphere, target properties). Two fundamental and distinct problems must be addressed when considering ejecta morphology: ballistic history and ejecta emplacement. On the Moon and Mercury, distinct secondary craters clearly record the effects of the ballistic history.