Morpho‐structural analysis of impact craters on Pluto: Implications for the study of complex craters

Abstract

We used Pluto's global digital elevation model to automatically perform a morphometric analysis of impact craters. Triangular irregular networks (TINs) were generated for each crater, providing a detailed representation of crater topography and enabling more accurate morpho‐structural analysis. A dedicated toolkit generated radial profiles for each crater providing diameter, depth, and, when present, central peak height measurements. Pluto's craters were classified into simple, transitional complex, and complex categories. For all complex craters, central peak heights were measured, representing the first comprehensive compilation of these data. A subset of well‐preserved complex craters was further subdivided based on morpho‐structural characteristics into three distinct classes: Complex I, II, and III, resulting in a new catalog of craters. The simple‐to‐complex transition in Pluto occurs at diameters of 10–14 km. Transitional craters are generally deeper than complex craters of similar diameter, while Complex I‐type craters exhibit relatively high central peaks at smaller diameters, and Complex II and III show progressively lower relative peaks at larger diameters.