Public domain
Cross-Section of a Complex Crater
From the collection of NASA Image and Video Library. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
This image shows a cross-section of a complex crater in Terra Cimmeria. Starting in the center, we see a series of peaks with exposed bedrock. These peaks formed during the impact event when material that was originally several kilometers below the surface was uplifted and exposed. The impact also melted the rocks. This eventually cooled, forming the pitted materials that coat the crater floor around the uplift.
NASA Image and Video Library’s own descriptionCredit lineCross-Section of a Complex Crater. NASA/JPL, 2019-01-23. Public domain. ID: PIA23022.