Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera

Egede A crater channelized melt

Impact melt from nearby Egede A crater formed channels as it flowed one kilometer down slope. Cracks in the melt probably formed as a result of cooling and inflation. LROC NAC M175204950LE, image width is 500 m [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Impact melt creates spectacular morphologies on the Moon. Sometimes melt pools into large ponds, sometimes melt cascades down crater terraces, and sometimes melt forms channelized flows. The Egede A impact melt flows (as well as numerous other flows) are channelized with levees at their margins. Are there any analogues for channelized impact melt flows on Earth?

Context image of today's Featured Image (located in the white box). Egede A is a 12.3 km crater located at 51.57° N, 10.51 E°. Image width is 50 km [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Yes! Levees occur naturally in terrestrial lava flows and develop as the edges of a lava flow cool and solidify. The lava flow can channelize with the levees help and make itself more thermally efficient. The levees allow the flow to travel farther from its source by slowing the cooling. The morphological similarity between lava flows and impact melt implies they behave in a similar manner and have similar properties (temperature and viscosity). 

Explore more of Egede A crater in the full LROC NAC! 

Related Posts: Winding Channel of Melt

Branched Impact Melts

Breached Levee

Shadows in Egede A 


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