Impact and admittance modeling of the Isidis Planitia, Mars

In this study, the impact event that produced the Martian Isidis basin (0-20 degrees N and 70-100 degrees E) was modeled using the iSALE hydrocode, and the current lithospheric structure was obtained comparing the calculated admittance from topography and gravity data, with the admittance from top-load and bottom-load flexure models. The best-fit admittance model was obtained using a bottom-load flexure with a thinned crust of 10 km, likely formed by cooling of the surficial melt pool after the impact, and an elastic thickness of 36 km. We found that the impact produced crustal excavation and thickening, surficial melt pool and temperatures > 1500 K beneath the area where the free-air maxima is observed. The geometry resulting from the impact modeling is compatible with the radius of the Isidis basin. Derived thermal gradient and heat flux are in agreement with an early-Noachian epoch for the Isidis impact event and with the intense volcanic activity that followed the impact.