Lunar Impact Features and Processes

Gordon R. Osinski; H. Jay Melosh; Jeff Andrews-Hanna; David Baker; Brett Denevi; Deepak Dhingra; Rebecca Ghent; Paul O. Hayne; Patrick Hill; Peter B. James; Steven Jaret; Brandon Johnson; Thomas Kenkmann; David Kring; Prasun Mahanti; David Minton; Catherine D. Neish; Greg Neumann; Jeff Plescia; Ross W. K. Potter; Jim Richardson; Elizabeth A. Silber; Jason M. Soderblom; Michael Zanetti; Nicolle Zellner

doi:10.2138/rmg.2023.89.08

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Research Article| December 01, 2023

Lunar Impact Features and Processes

Gordon R. Osinski;

Gordon R. Osinski

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Canadian Lunar Research Network, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

[email protected]

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H. Jay Melosh;

H. Jay Melosh

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

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Jeff Andrews-Hanna;

Jeff Andrews-Hanna

Lunar and Planetary Lab, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA

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David Baker;

David Baker

Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab, Code 698, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA

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Brett Denevi;

Brett Denevi

Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723, USA

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Deepak Dhingra;

Deepak Dhingra

Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kalyanpur, Kanpur 208016, Uttar Pradesh, India

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Rebecca Ghent;

Rebecca Ghent

Planetary Science Institute, 1700 E. Fort Lowell, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA

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Paul O. Hayne;

Paul O. Hayne

Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309, USA

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Patrick Hill;

Patrick Hill

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Canadian Lunar Research Network, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

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Peter B. James;

Peter B. James

Department of Geosciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA

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Steven Jaret;

Steven Jaret

American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, 10024, USA

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Brandon Johnson;

Brandon Johnson

Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA

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Thomas Kenkmann;

Thomas Kenkmann

Institut fur Geound Umweltnaturwissenschaften, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg, Freiberg, Germany

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David Kring;

David Kring

Center for Lunar and Space Exploration, Lunar and Planetary Institute, 3600 Bay Area Blvd., Houston, TX 77058, USA

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Prasun Mahanti;

Prasun Mahanti

School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA

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David Minton;

David Minton

Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN 47907, USA

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Catherine D. Neish;

Catherine D. Neish

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Canadian Lunar Research Network, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

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Greg Neumann;

Greg Neumann

Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab, Code 698, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA

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Jeff Plescia;

Jeff Plescia

Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723, USA

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Ross W. K. Potter;

Ross W. K. Potter

Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA

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Jim Richardson;

Jim Richardson

Planetary Science Institute, 1700 E. Fort Lowell, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA

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Elizabeth A. Silber;

Elizabeth A. Silber

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Canadian Lunar Research Network, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

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Jason M. Soderblom;

Jason M. Soderblom

Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

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Michael Zanetti;

Michael Zanetti

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Canadian Lunar Research Network, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, National Space Science and Technology Center, 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA

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Nicolle Zellner

Department of Physics, Albion College, Albion MI 49224, USA

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Author and Article Information

Gordon R. Osinski

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Canadian Lunar Research Network, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

H. Jay Melosh

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Jeff Andrews-Hanna

Lunar and Planetary Lab, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA

David Baker

Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab, Code 698, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA

Brett Denevi

Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723, USA

Deepak Dhingra

Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kalyanpur, Kanpur 208016, Uttar Pradesh, India

Rebecca Ghent

Planetary Science Institute, 1700 E. Fort Lowell, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA

Paul O. Hayne

Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309, USA

Patrick Hill

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Canadian Lunar Research Network, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Peter B. James

Department of Geosciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA

Steven Jaret

American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, 10024, USA

Brandon Johnson

Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA

Thomas Kenkmann

Institut fur Geound Umweltnaturwissenschaften, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg, Freiberg, Germany

David Kring

Center for Lunar and Space Exploration, Lunar and Planetary Institute, 3600 Bay Area Blvd., Houston, TX 77058, USA

Prasun Mahanti

School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA

David Minton

Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN 47907, USA

Catherine D. Neish

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Canadian Lunar Research Network, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Greg Neumann

Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab, Code 698, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA

Jeff Plescia

Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723, USA

Ross W. K. Potter

Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA

Jim Richardson

Planetary Science Institute, 1700 E. Fort Lowell, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA

Elizabeth A. Silber

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Canadian Lunar Research Network, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Jason M. Soderblom

Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Michael Zanetti

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

Canadian Lunar Research Network, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, National Space Science and Technology Center, 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA

Nicolle Zellner

Department of Physics, Albion College, Albion MI 49224, USA

[email protected]

Publisher: Mineralogical Society of America

First Online: 04 Dec 2023

Mineralogical Society of America

Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry (2023) 89 (1): 339–371.

https://doi.org/10.2138/rmg.2023.89.08

This chapter is dedicated to H. Jay Melosh who tragically passed away during this endeavor. From his earliest publications on the concept of acoustic fluidization, to the publication of his landmark book Impact Cratering—A Geologic Process in 1989, to his latest contributions to the paper by Trowbridge et al. (2020) cited herein on understanding of the South Pole-Aiken basin, Jay’s contributions to the understanding of the impact cratering process, and planetary surface processes in general, are unparalleled. His passing leaves a huge void in the community and he will be sorely missed.

Impact craters are the Moon’s quintessential landform. First...

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