MOLA topography of that image - actually overs a slightly larger area.
Note the full range from fresh craters with knobby rims and central peaks to degraded rims and filled bases, to fully subdued "ghost" craters.
The feature in the middle is the first one you queried. Note that the plains inside the crater (pale blue = 750m) are distinctly lower than those outside the rim (turquise green =1300m), although this is not obvious from the Viking MDIM image that you showed.
A crater rim is clearly present, especially in the north-west sector where it reaches 1850m in elevation (red)
The collapse pits around the rim wall and near the centre plumb depths of -1350m
The second feature you ask about is, in fact, a young impact near the centre of an old filled one. Note the old rim is still present, although more degraded then the previous example.
In both cases, these clearly have a crater-like morphology, modified in the standard ways we see on Mars (smooth fill of crater plains, degraded rims, occasional collapse pits and cracks)
Moral of the story: Consult all available data before opening mouth and inserting foot...
Space/Science » in reply to The secondary argument
re: The secondary argument
The whole thread (52 posts)
- Bill Hartmann (Scientist, textbook/fiction Author, & Painter)
- More B*** S*** impact "science"
- Sense of humor, too
- re: Bill Hartmann (Scientist, textbook/fiction Author, & Painter)
- re: Bill Hartmann
- Hartmann's Travelers Guide to Mars
- re: Bill Hartmann (Scientist, textbook/fiction Author, & Painter)