Ejecta Thickness Distribution of the Schrödinger Basin on the Moon

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Thickness distribution of impact ejecta gives insights into the processes of impact cratering, the stratigraphy of planetary crust, future sampling site selection, and the source of lunar samples. In this study, we conduct detailed measurements of ejecta deposit thicknesses for the Schrödinger basin, the second youngest and the best‐preserved peak‐ring impact basin on the Moon. Based on Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera Wide Angle Camera, Kaguya Terrain Camera, and the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter data, the thicknesses of ejecta deposits are estimated from the measurements of partially filled pre‐Schrödinger craters by using crater morphometry, and the effect of crater degradation is taken into considerations. The thickness distribution of ejecta is derived from the measured thicknesses of ejecta deposits using an updated ballistic sedimentation model. Our measurements yield an ejecta thickness of ∼704 m at the current Schrödinger basin rim under the decay with a power‐law index of −3.0. Based on these measurements, we find that the model of Pike (1974, https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821x(74)90114-9 ) provides the best estimates of transient cavity rim radius of 95.5 km and excavation depth of 19.6 km for the Schrödinger basin, whereas the widely used model of McGetchin et al. (1973, https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821x(73)90162-3 ) significantly underestimate the ejecta thickness of Schrödinger basin. In addition, our results indicate that the Schrödinger basin‐forming impact does not penetrate through the lunar crust.