Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Craters, boulders and regolith of (101955) Bennu indicative of an old and dynamic surface. / Walsh, K J; Jawin, E; Barnouin, O; Bierhaus, E; Connolly, H; Molaro, J; McCoy, T; Delbo, M; Hartzell, C; Pajola, M; Schwartz, S; Trang, D; Asphaug, E; Becker, K; Beddingfield, C; Bennett, C; Bottke, W; Burke, K; Clark, B; Daly, M; DellaGiustina, D; Dworkin, J; Elder, C; Golish, D; Hildebrand, A; Malhotra, R; Marshall, J ; MIchel, P; Nolan, M; Perry, M; Rizk, B; Ryan, A; Sanford, S; Scheeres, D; Susorney, Hannah; Thuillet, F; Lauretta, D; The OSIRIS-REx Team.
In: Nature Geoscience, Vol. 12, No. 4, 04.2019, p. 242-246.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Craters, boulders and regolith of (101955) Bennu indicative of an old and dynamic surface
AU - Walsh, K J
AU - Jawin, E
AU - Barnouin, O
AU - Bierhaus, E
AU - Connolly, H
AU - Molaro, J
AU - McCoy, T
AU - Delbo, M
AU - Hartzell, C
AU - Pajola, M
AU - Schwartz, S
AU - Trang, D
AU - Asphaug, E
AU - Becker, K
AU - Beddingfield, C
AU - Bennett, C
AU - Bottke, W
AU - Burke, K
AU - Clark, B
AU - Daly, M
AU - DellaGiustina, D
AU - Dworkin, J
AU - Elder, C
AU - Golish, D
AU - Hildebrand, A
AU - Malhotra, R
AU - Marshall, J
AU - MIchel, P
AU - Nolan, M
AU - Perry, M
AU - Rizk, B
AU - Ryan, A
AU - Sanford, S
AU - Scheeres, D
AU - Susorney, Hannah
AU - Thuillet, F
AU - Lauretta, D
AU - The OSIRIS-REx Team
PY - 2019/4
Y1 - 2019/4
N2 - Small, kilometre-sized near-Earth asteroids are expected to have young and frequently refreshed surfaces for two reasons: collisional disruptions are frequent in the main asteroid belt where they originate, and thermal or tidal processes act on them once they become near-Earth asteroids. Here we present early measurements of numerous large candidate impact craters on near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu by the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) mission, which indicate a surface that is between 100 million and 1 billion years old, predating Bennu’s expected duration as a near-Earth asteroid. We also observe many fractured boulders, the morphology of which suggests an influence of impact or thermal processes over a considerable amount of time since the boulders were exposed at the surface. However, the surface also shows signs of more recent mass movement: clusters of boulders at topographic lows, a deficiency of small craters and infill of large craters. The oldest features likely record events from Bennu’s time in the main asteroid belt.
AB - Small, kilometre-sized near-Earth asteroids are expected to have young and frequently refreshed surfaces for two reasons: collisional disruptions are frequent in the main asteroid belt where they originate, and thermal or tidal processes act on them once they become near-Earth asteroids. Here we present early measurements of numerous large candidate impact craters on near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu by the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) mission, which indicate a surface that is between 100 million and 1 billion years old, predating Bennu’s expected duration as a near-Earth asteroid. We also observe many fractured boulders, the morphology of which suggests an influence of impact or thermal processes over a considerable amount of time since the boulders were exposed at the surface. However, the surface also shows signs of more recent mass movement: clusters of boulders at topographic lows, a deficiency of small craters and infill of large craters. The oldest features likely record events from Bennu’s time in the main asteroid belt.
U2 - 10.1038/s41561-019-0326-6
DO - 10.1038/s41561-019-0326-6
M3 - Article
VL - 12
SP - 242
EP - 246
JO - Nature Geoscience
JF - Nature Geoscience
SN - 1752-0894
IS - 4
ER -
