Vesta’s Shape and Morphology

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1219122
• Publication Date: 2012-05-10T18:11:48Z
• Authors: R. Jaumann; D. A. Williams; D. L. Buczkowski; R. A. Yingst; F. Preusker; H. Hiesinger; N. Schmedemann; T. Kneissl; J. B. Vincent; D. T. Blewett; B. J. Buratti; U. Carsenty; B. W. Denevi; M. C. De Sanctis; W. B. Garry; H. U. Keller; E. Kersten; K. Krohn; J.-Y. Li; S. Marchi; K. D. Matz; T. B. McCord; H. Y. McSween; S. C. Mest; D. W. Mittlefehldt; S. Mottola; A. Nathues; G. Neukum; D. P. O’Brien; C. M. Pieters; T. H. Prettyman; C. A. Raymond; T. Roatsch; C. T. Russell; P. Schenk; B. E. Schmidt; F. Scholten; K. Stephan; M. V. Sykes; P. Tricarico; R. Wagner; M. T. Zuber; H. Sierks
• Keywords: Regolith; Mass wasting; Bedrock

A New Dawn Since 17 July 2011, NASA's spacecraft has been orbiting the asteroid Vesta—the second most massive and third largest in solar system (see cover). Russell et al. (p. 684 ) use Dawn's observations to confirm that Vesta is a small differentiated planetary body with an inner core, represents surviving proto-planet from earliest epoch of formation; also confirmed as source howardite-eucrite-diogenite (HED) meteorites. Jaumann 687 report on asteroid's overall geometry topography, based global surface mapping. Vesta's dominated by numerous impact craters large troughs around equatorial region. Marchi 690 complex cratering history constrain age some its major regions crater counts. Schenk 694 describe two giant basins located at south pole. Both are young excavated enough amounts material form Vestoids—a group asteroids composition similar Vesta—and HED De Sanctis 697 present mineralogical characterization Vesta, data obtained visual infrared spectrometer, revealing this underwent magmatic evolution led crust mantle. The color variations detailed Reddy 700 unlike those any other observed so far indicative preserved, proto-planet.