Small impact craters in the polar regions of the Moon: Peculiarities of morphometric characteristics

Abstract

The paper describes a computer-aided algorithm for determining the morphometric parameters of simple (bowl-shaped) impact craters by digital terrain models (DTMs). The original algorithm was tested on the mass morphometric measurements of small impact craters (from 100 m to 1 km in diameter) on several highlands of the Moon including the polar regions. Analysis of the results showed that the craters in the polar regions differ from those on the other highlands; in particular, fresh craters are systematically less deep. Moreover, near the poles, a typical shape of the inner part of the craters is somewhat closer to a bowl, while it is more conical on the typical highlands. These peculiarities may be connected with low temperatures and the presence of volatiles in the near-surface layer in the polar regions of the Moon.