https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-15973-8
Fig. 1: Mapping the Bright Spots in Occator Crater
This image shows a detailed map of Occator Crater on Ceres, created using high-resolution XM2 data. The map highlights different bright areas (faculae) and estimates their thickness. Scientists used small impact craters to determine thickness—if the crater exposed dark material, the layer is thick; if it exposed bright material, the layer is thin. Black arrows point to the regions where these thickness estimates were made.
Fig. 1: Mapping the Bright Spots in Occator Crater
This image shows a detailed map of Occator Crater on Ceres, created using high-resolution XM2 data. The map highlights different bright areas (faculae) and estimates their thickness. Scientists used small impact craters to determine thickness—if the crater exposed dark material, the layer is thick; if it exposed bright material, the layer is thin. Black arrows point to the regions where these thickness estimates were made.
Fig. 2: Perspective views of the central region of Occator Crater.
a) This image shows a 3D-like view of Occator’s central region, highlighting important features like Cerealia Facula (bright spot), the central pit, Cerealia Tholus (a raised area), and Pasola Facula. The image is based on high-resolution data and does not exaggerate the height.
b) This image shows how the bright material (yellow and orange) relates to the lower areas (topographic lows) of Occator Crater. Yellow represents continuous bright material, orange shows less continuous bright material, and white shows other materials. The black lines show height levels, and the image is based on the digital topographic data.
Unveiling Ceres’ bright spots ✨🔬! New research uses high-resolution images to analyze the faculae in Occator Crater, revealing how hydrothermal brines, landslides, and subsurface reservoirs shaped these unique salt deposits. 🌍🚀
#SpaceScience #Ceres #OccatorCrater #BrightSpots #Na₂CO₃ #NH₄Cl
