Scaling of microcraters with molten rims derived from laser-induced cratering experiments

Abstract

Microcraters with molten rims are widely observed in returned samples from the Moon and asteroids. These features reflect the conditions of small-scale impact events, but the impact velocities required for their formation are not well understood. In this study, we use well-controlled laser irradiation on rock surfaces as an experimental analog to investigate the formation of these molten-rim craters. Specifically, we derive a scaling relation between crater volume, total irradiation energy, and energy loss associated with thermal diffusion. The experimental results indicate that molten-rim structures of microcraters can be formed in the range of $10^2$--$10^3$~m/s impact velocity. This value is consistent with some previous studies which suggested that the origin of microcraters is secondary impact events. These findings provide experimental constraints on the formation mechanisms of molten-rim microcraters and offer a new perspective on impact processes recorded on planetary surfaces. The estimated result is also consistent with the impact velocity required to produce the observed wavy rim protrusions due to a Rayleigh-Taylor hydrodynamic instability ($\sim 10^2$~m/s).