Definition
Impact crater ejecta morphology with an uprange and a downrange forbidden zone.
Synonyms
Asymmetric ejecta; Bilateral symmetric ejecta; Downrange and uprange forbidden zone (crater); Fly wing (crater)
A type of ejecta often found in association with an elliptical crater (oblique impact)
Variations in formation and modification:
- (1)
Dry ejecta crater emplaced solely ballistically (Mercury [Fig. 1], Moon [Fig. 2]).
- (2)
Butterfly ejecta emplaced ballistically and then modified by surface flow (Mars) (Fig. 3) (Herrick and Hessen 2006). They can have smooth or textured blanket and may possess rampart.
- (3)
Butterfly ejecta formed on Venus, in a dense and hot atmosphere (Venus) (Fig. 4).
MESSENGER mosaic of Hovnatanian crater (43 × 22 km, 7.7°S, 172.8°E), shows butterfly ejecta pattern on Mercury. Impact direction was from bottom to top of image (NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington)
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References
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Herrick, R.R. (2014). Butterfly Ejecta. In: Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_27-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_27-2
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