Abstract
4 Vesta, the second most massive asteroid in the Solar System, was the recent target of NASA’s Dawn mission, which spent many months orbiting and analyzing the body. A geologically young (~1 Ga) giant impact basin, Rheasilvia, which has a diameter nearly equal to that of Vesta, dominates Vesta’s southern hemisphere. In addition to opening a massive crater, the impact that formed the Rheasilvia basin produced a shockwave that was sufficiently strong to modify Vesta’s surface morphology on a nearly global scale.
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Date of Award
January 2015
Recommended Citation
Bowling, Timothy Joseph, "Global Surface Modification of Asteroid 4 Vesta Following the Rheasilvia Impact" (2015). Open Access Dissertations. 1492.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/1492
First Advisor
Henry J Melosh
Second Advisor
Andrew Freed
Committee Member 1
David Minton
Committee Member 2
Marc Caffee
Committee Member 3
James Richardson