Evidence for landslides triggered by impact events on Ceres

Abstract Triggering mechanisms are a fundamental aspect of landslide studies, as they directly influence both the characteristics of landslides and the environments in which they occur. Identifying the triggers of landslides is particularly important for understanding the morphological evolution of solid planetary surfaces in the Solar System. Ceres, the largest celestial object in the main asteroid belt, is rich in impact craters and exhibits numerous landslides. Published catalogues and available data on these surface features provide a unique opportunity to study the interactions between meteoroid impacts and mass movements. By analyzing the morphometric characteristics and absolute dating of eight landslides and their related impact craters, we have identified an evident cause-and-effect relationship between impact events and the initiation of landslides on Ceres.