Insights into Buto Facula on Ganymede: Understanding Impact Features

Recent research has focused on Buto Facula, a prominent palimpsest on Ganymede, one of Jupiter's moons. The study, titled "Buto Facula, Ganymede: Palimpsest Exemplar," was conducted by a team of researchers including Jeffrey M. Moore and Oliver L. White, and was submitted on August 23, 2024.

The paper highlights the unique characteristics of impact morphologies observed on Ganymede, noting that they vary significantly due to the structural and thermal state of the crust at the time of impact. Palimpsests, such as Buto Facula, are defined by their smooth enclosed central plains surrounded by undulating plains, which feature concentric arcuate ridges without recognizable rims.

Buto Facula is noted as the best-resolved palimpsest, with imaging conducted at a resolution of 190 m/pixel under optimal lighting conditions. This clarity allows for a deeper understanding of the formation processes of such impact features. The study suggests that the undulating plains surrounding Buto Facula may have behaved as a low-viscosity flow during their formation, which could have been influenced by a subsurface liquid layer.

The researchers conducted impact simulations to evaluate hypotheses regarding the formation of these undulating plains. They concluded that the presence of a shallow subsurface liquid layer could explain the flat profile of Buto Facula and the distribution of its surrounding plains. This research could have implications for future missions, such as the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) and the Europa Clipper, which may test these hypotheses further.

For more details, the full paper can be accessed at arXiv:2408.13398.