Lunar Crater Detection Based on Terrain Analysis and Mathematical Morphology Methods Using Digital Elevation Models

Lunar impact craters are the most typical geomorphic feature on the moon and are of great importance in studies of lunar terrain features. This paper presents a crater detection algorithm (CDA) that is based on terrain analysis and mathematical morphology methods. The proposed CDA is applied to digital elevation models (DEMs) to identify the boundaries of impact craters. The topographic and morphological characteristics of impact craters are discussed, and detailed steps are presented to detect different types of craters, such as dispersal craters, connective craters, and con-craters. The DEM from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has a resolution of 100 m, is used to verify the proposed CDA. The results show that the boundaries of impact craters can be detected. The results enable increased understanding of surface processes through the characterization of crater morphometry and the use of crater size-frequency distributions to estimate the ages of planetary surfaces.