Carpenter (crater)

Carpenter
Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates69°24′N 50°54′W / 69.4°N 50.9°W / 69.4; -50.9
Diameter59.06 km (36.70 mi)[1]
Depth4.32 km (2.68 mi)[2]
Colongitude46° at sunrise
EponymJames Carpenter
Edwin F. Carpenter

Carpenter is a lunar impact crater in the northern part of the Moon, relatively close to the limb (as viewed from earth). At this position the crater is foreshortened and appears oval in shape. It is, however, very nearly circular in outline.[3] The outer rampart to the south is adjoined to the old crater Anaximander,[4] and the satellite formation Anaximander B lies along the western rim. To the northeast is Anaximenes.[5]: 2 

In geological terms Carpenter is a somewhat young lunar crater, with features that have not been significantly eroded by subsequent impacts. Certainly it is much younger than the surrounding crater formations. The inner wall displays an appearance of slumping, particularly along the eastern face, and there is some development of terraces. The outer rim is unmarked by craterlets of note, but there is a small crater along the south-southeastern inner wall.[6]

The crater has a purported ray system, and is consequently mapped as part of the Copernican System.[7] However, this may be a misclassification since a ray from a small crater crosses Carpenter. This younger crater appears older than Copernicus.[8]

The interior floor within the sloping inner walls is generally level, but irregular with many small bumps and hills. Near the midpoint is an unusual double central peak formation, with a smaller peak offset to the west and a larger ridge offset to the east. The latter ridge runs southward to the edge of the inner wall. The spectra of the central peak fits a noritic anorthosite mineralogy, which originated from a depth of 5.9 to 9.0 km.[9] The infrared spectrum of pure crystalline plagioclase has been identified on the floor and the east and west walls.[10]

This crater is named for British astronomer James Carpenter (1840-1899) and American astronomer Edwin F. Carpenter (1898-1963). Its designation was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.[1]

Satellite craters

Carpenter surroundings, including satellite features

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Carpenter.[11]

Carpenter[5]: 294  Latitude Longitude Diameter
T 70.2° N 58.3° W 9 km
U 70.6° N 57.0° W 26 km
V 71.8° N 54.1° W 6 km
W 72.3° N 59.8° W 10 km
Y 71.9° N 62.7° W 9 km

References

  1. 1 2 "Carpenter". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
  2. ↑ Joshi, Maitri P. (February 2017). "Physical properties of lunar craters". Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 17 (3). id. 24. Bibcode:2017RAA....17...24J. doi:10.1088/1674-4527/17/3/24.
  3. ↑ Whitaker, E. A.; et al. (1963). Rectified Lunar Atlas: Supplement No. 2 to the Photographic Lunar Atlas. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. Retrieved 2026-06-01. See Field 1.
  4. ↑ Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 183. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
  5. 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
  6. ↑ "Carpenter crater". European Space Agency. June 26, 2006. Retrieved 2026-04-26.
  7. ↑ Wilhelms, Don E.; et al. (1987), The geologic history of the Moon, USGS Professional Paper: 1348, doi:10.3133/pp1348 See Plate 11: Copernican System
  8. ↑ Wang, Juntao; et al. (October 2020). "Quantitative Characterization of Impact Crater Materials on the Moon: Changes in Topographic Roughness and Thermophysical Properties With Age". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 125 (10). id. e06091. Bibcode:2020JGRE..12506091W. doi:10.1029/2019JE006091.
  9. ↑ Cahill, J. T. S.; et al. (September 2009). "Compositional variations of the lunar crust: Results from radiative transfer modeling of central peak spectra". Journal of Geophysical Research. 114 (E9) E09001. Bibcode:2009JGRE..114.9001C. doi:10.1029/2008JE003282.
  10. ↑ Donaldson Hanna, K. L.; et al. (July 2014). "Global assessment of pure crystalline plagioclase across the Moon and implications for the evolution of the primary crust". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 119 (7): 1516–1545. Bibcode:2014JGRE..119.1516D. doi:10.1002/2013JE004476.
  11. ↑ Grego, P. (2015). "Satellite Crater". In Hargitai, H.; Kereszturi, Á. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. New York, NY: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3134-3_328.
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