Asteroid Vesta
The asteroid Vesta, located within the inner asteroid belt, is a differentiated body with a prominent rotational bulge. NASA’s Dawn mission revealed the presence of two large impact craters in the south polar region, one with a high standing central peak. Thus, I used the finite element simulation to examine the feasibility of relaxation processes operating on these craters. The location of these basins near the south pole is also unusual, suggesting true polar wander. Therefore, I also investigated the rotational bulge relaxation, a requirement preceded by true polar wander. Modeling the evolution of two large craters in the south polar region of Vesta (Rheasilvia and Veneneia) showed that the large central peak of these craters is likely the product of a planetary scale impact, and not of relaxation. Additionally I tested the possibility of the rotational bulge relaxation and showed that complete true polar wander is not a likely scenario for Vesta (Published in JGR).
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCAL/MPS/DLR/IDA
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCAL/MPS/DLR/IDA