Timing of the faulting on the Wispy Terrain of Dione based on stratigraphic relationships with impact craters

TL;DR

This study estimates the timing of faulting on Dione's Wispy Terrain using stratigraphic analysis of impact craters, suggesting faulting occurred approximately 0.30-0.79 billion years ago, with potential ongoing activity.

Contribution

It provides the first stratigraphic-based estimate of faulting timing on Dione, linking tectonic activity to the moon's thermal history and impact crater relationships.

Findings

Faulting occurred approximately 0.30-0.79 Ga ago.

Most craters are crosscut craters, indicating recent fault activity.

Faulting may still be ongoing.

Abstract

The trailing hemisphere of Dione is characterized by the Wispy Terrain, where it exhibits a hemispheric-scale network of extensional tectonic faults superposed on the moon's cratered surface. The faults likely reflect past endogenic activity and Dione's interior thermal history. Although fresh exposures of pristine scarps indicate that the timing of the faulting is relatively recent, the absolute age of the faulting remains uncertain. To estimate the timing of the faulting, we investigated stratigraphic relationships between impact craters and faults. Using high-resolution images obtained by ISS cameras onboard the Cassini spacecraft, we investigated craters with diameters exceeding or equal to 10 km that coincide spatially with the faults, and classified the craters as crosscut craters or superposed craters. As a result, at least 82% of the craters were interpreted as clear examples of crosscut craters and 12% of the craters were interpreted to be candidates of superposed craters, although stratigraphic relationships are often ambiguous. The paucity of superposed craters and a predicted cratering rate indicate that the faulting of the Wispy Terrain is 0.30-0.79 Ga. If 12-18% of the craters are assumed to be superposed, the timing of the faulting could be in the range 0.30-0.79 Ga. However, it is possible that the faulting of the Wispy Terrain is still ongoing.