Abstract
Laboratory impact experiments demonstrate that the presence of an atmosphere can significantly retard late-stage crater growth due to the combined roles of static (ambient) and dynamic (aerodynamic) forces acting on the ballistic flow field. Drag forces limit growth by decelerating ejecta particles and by retarding the outward advance of the ballistic ejecta curtain. Because craters first grow downward then outward, arresting crater growth prematurely not only reduces cratering efficiency but also reduces the diameter-depth ratio. Under high atmospheric pressures and densities, the resulting oversteepened crater profile in low-cohesion, fine-grained targets collapses after maximum growth. Observed reductions in cratering efficiency and crater diameter can be accommodated by replacing gravity with the drag force in gravity-controlled scaling relations. Such scaling relations suggest that the atmosphere should play a significant role in reducing crater size under the dense atmosphere of Venus.
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