Emirates Exploration Imager (EXI) Reveals Crater and Boulder Distribution on Deimos: Insights Into Its Dynamical and Geological Evolution

Abstract Deimos, the smaller and outer Martian moon, is a dark, irregularly shaped body whose origin and evolution are still poorly constrained. Its surface is smoother and less cratered than the other moon, Phobos, a difference still unexplained due to limited data coverage and resolution. Here, we reveal the global distribution of craters and boulders on Deimos, including areas previously poorly observed, using high‐resolution images from the Emirates Exploration Imager onboard the Emirates Mars Mission. Craters on Deimos have not reached saturation equilibrium, suggesting a recent resurfacing event. The leading side shows a slightly higher spatial crater density than the trailing side, while the Mars‐facing side has more craters than the anti‐Mars side, contrary to theoretical predictions and observations from Phobos. These asymmetries suggest recent reorientation of Deimos and/or the reaccumulation of dust across the Martian system, providing new insights into the dynamical and geological evolution of Deimos.