Impact Crater Chain on Callisto
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CRATER CHAINS ON CALLISTO
This Voyager 1 image of Gipul Catena, on Callisto, was obtained in March, 1979.
Seven other crater chains have been mapped on Callisto to date. The discovery of
Shoemaker-Levy 9 in 1993 solved the mystery of the origin of these chains. These
chains formed when the fragments of comets split by Jovian tides hit the large
Jovian satellites. Crater size and chain morphologies are being studied to
determine the masses of comet fragments and nuclei and to assess models for the
break up of comet nuclei. Gipul Catena is 620 km long and located near Callisto's
north pole.
