Runge (crater)

Runge (crater). Runge is a lunar impact crater located on the Moon's far side, positioned on the northwestern interior floor of the immense Mare Ingenii. It lies to the east of the crater O'Day and north-northwest of the prominent Thomson. This formation is situated within the South Pole–Aitken basin, one of the largest known impact structures in the Solar System.

Description

Runge is a relatively circular, bowl-shaped formation, though its rim has been somewhat modified by subsequent impacts and the surrounding mare material. The inner walls are simple slopes that descend to a generally flat, featureless interior floor. The crater's location within the dark, basaltic plains of Mare Ingenii provides a stark contrast to the brighter, more heavily cratered highland terrain found elsewhere on the lunar far side. Its placement makes it a subject of interest in studies of lunar mare emplacement and the geological history of the South Pole–Aitken basin.

Physical characteristics

With a diameter of approximately 38 kilometers, Runge is classified as a mid-sized lunar crater. Its depth is not precisely determined but is consistent with other simple craters of its scale. The crater's ejecta blanket is largely obscured by the later volcanic flows that formed Mare Ingenii, indicating that the Runge impact predates the major episodes of mare volcanism in this region. The surrounding terrain shows evidence of wrinkle ridges, common compressional features in lunar maria, and several smaller impact craters dot the area, including the notable satellite crater Runge T to its southwest.

Satellite craters

By convention, smaller craters associated with Runge are identified on lunar maps by placing a letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Runge. These satellite features provide additional context for the local stratigraphy and impact history. * Runge T – A small, distinct crater located to the southwest of Runge's rim. * Runge W – Situated to the northwest, this crater lies on the edge of the Mare Ingenii plains. * Runge Z – Found to the northeast of the main crater. These secondary craters, along with others in the sequence, are typically younger than Runge itself and offer insights into the sequence of impact events in this portion of the lunar far side.

Namesake

The crater is named for Carl Runge, the renowned German mathematician and physicist. Runge made significant contributions to numerical analysis, particularly through the development of the Runge–Kutta methods for solving ordinary differential equations. His work in spectroscopy and his collaboration with scientists like Wilhelm Röntgen and Max Planck were also highly influential. The name was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1970, following their established convention of honoring deceased scientists and explorers.

See also

* Mare Ingenii * South Pole–Aitken basin * Lunar far side * Impact crater * List of craters on the Moon * Carl Runge

Category:Impact craters on the Moon