Investigation of ejecta emplacement by modeling oblique impacts into layered icy targets on Mars — E8 Intelligence Research

A significant portion of Martian impact craters exhibit morphologies distinct from those on the Moon or Mercury, characterized by fluidized ejecta blankets terminating in distal ridges known as ramparts. While these structures are widely attributed to subsurface water ice, previous numerical studies have been primarily limited to 2-D vertical impacts. In this study, we perform 3-D hydrocode simulations of crater formation under three representative target configurations: pure basalt (Model A), a surface-ice layer (Model B), and a buried ice layer (Model C). Our results demonstrate that target stratigraphy and impact angle significantly govern the crater morphology and ejecta distribution pattern. The 3-D simulations reveal that oblique impacts into layered targets produce complex, asymmetrical transient cavities and lead to azimuthal variations in ejecta distribution. Specifically, our results demonstrate the ejecta behavior is significantly different in Model B and Model C. We find th Author: Andrew Stewart Caldin, Independent Researcher, UK. Part of the E8 Intelligence Research series. Platform: e8intelligence.com