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.
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BibTeX
@article{shimizu2026emirates,
title = {{Emirates Exploration Imager (EXI) Reveals Crater and Boulder Distribution on Deimos: Insights Into Its Dynamical and Geological Evolution}},
author = {Y Shimizu and R H Hoover and K Hotta and N R Alsaeed and W F Bottke and C S Edwards and H Kikuchi and H Miyamoto and M M Osterloo and Patrick Michel and S J Robbins},
journal = {Geophysical Research Letters},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1029/2025gl117346},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05845599v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Emirates Exploration Imager (EXI) Reveals Crater and Boulder Distribution on Deimos: Insights Into Its Dynamical and Geological Evolution
AU - Y Shimizu
AU - R H Hoover
AU - K Hotta
AU - N R Alsaeed
AU - W F Bottke
AU - C S Edwards
AU - H Kikuchi
AU - H Miyamoto
AU - M M Osterloo
AU - Patrick Michel
AU - S J Robbins
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Geophysical Research Letters
DO - 10.1029/2025gl117346
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05845599v1
AB - 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.
SN - 0094-8276
SN - 1944-8007
ER -