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Posidonius (crater)

Posidonius (crater) is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Posidonius (crater) rather than just read about it. In short: Posidonius is a lunar impact crater that is located on the north-eastern edge of Mare Serenitatis, to the south of Lacus Somniorum. T.

Posidonius (crater) — main illustration
Posidonius (crater) — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Posidonius (crater) belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Posidonius (crater) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Posidonius (crater) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Posidonius is a lunar impact crater that is located on the north-eastern edge of Mare Serenitatis, to the south of Lacus Somniorum. T. W. Webb described it as a "walled plain" that is "a good object about 6d after" a new Moon. It was named after ancient Greek philosopher and geographer Posidonius of Apamea. The crater Chacornac is attached to the southeast rim, and to the north is Daniell.

Description On the lunar geologic timescale, Posidonius is a crater of Upper (Late) Imbrian age. The rim of Posidonius is shallow and obscured, especially on the western edge, and the interior has been overlain by a lava flow in the past. The crater ramparts can still be observed to the south and east of the crater rim, and to a lesser degree to the north. There is a smaller, semi-circular rim of a concentric, flooded crater within the main rim, offset towards the eastern edge. There is no central peak, but the floor is hilly and laced with a rille system named the Rimae Posidonius. The floor is also slightly bulged due to the past lava uplift, which also likely produced the complex of rilles. The northeast rim is interrupted by the smaller crater Posidonius B. Within the crater rim, offset just to the west of center is another smaller crater Posidonius A. The infrared spectrum of pure crystalline plagioclase has been identified on the central hills, and the southeast and southwest rims. On the Mare Serenitatis surface near Posidonius is a notable system of wrinkle ridges that parallel the nearby shore. These are designated the Dorsa Smirnov. At the peak of these ridges is a small crater, Posidonius Y, with a diameter of 2 km. This crater is surrounded by a patch of high-albedo material, its ray system. This peak was formerly designated Posidonius Gamma (γ). Posidonius Gamma was first observed by the lunar cartographer Julius Schmidt in 1867, who noted the similarity to the bright patch surrounding the crater Linné.

Satellite craters By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Posidonius.

References

Sources

External links

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter pages with images: Plescia J. (2013-02-05). "Meanders in Posidonius". NASA/GSFC/LROC, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University. Archived from the original on 2018-01-30. - especially on the rille Rimae Posidonius Braden S. (2011-10-25). "Posidonius Y". NASA/GSFC/LROC, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University. Archived from the original on 2017-10-05. Ostrach L. (2010-12-01). "Rimae Posidonius". NASA/GSFC/LROC, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University. Archived from the original on 2018-05-31.

Illustrations

Posidonius (crater) illustration
Posidonius (crater): Oblique view of Posidonius from Apollo 15. A tightly convoluted sinuous rille crosses the raised floor of the crater, turns back, and follows the rim to a low point in the western rim.
Oblique view of Posidonius from Apollo 15. A tightly convoluted sinuous rille crosses the raised floor of the crater, turns back, and follows the rim to a low point in the western rim.
Posidonius (crater): Part of the sinuous rille in Posidonius (LRO image).
Part of the sinuous rille in Posidonius (LRO image).
Posidonius (crater): Oblique view of Posidonius from Apollo 17. Note that the lava which flooded the crater reached its rim and is clearly above the mare plain to the west (left).
Oblique view of Posidonius from Apollo 17. Note that the lava which flooded the crater reached its rim and is clearly above the mare plain to the west (left).
Posidonius (crater): The hill Posidonius γ with the crater Posidonius Y (LRO image).
The hill Posidonius γ with the crater Posidonius Y (LRO image).

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Posidonius (crater)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Posidonius (crater) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Posidonius (crater) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Posidonius (crater) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Posidonius (crater)

In research
Posidonius (crater) appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Posidonius (crater) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Posidonius (crater) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Impact craters on the Moon, LQ05 quadrangle, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Posidonius (crater) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Posidonius (crater) in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Posidonius (crater) means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Posidonius (crater) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Posidonius (crater) in simple terms?

Posidonius is a lunar impact crater that is located on the north-eastern edge of Mare Serenitatis, to the south of Lacus Somniorum. T.

Why does Posidonius (crater) matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Posidonius (crater)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Posidonius (crater).

Tags

  • Impact craters on the Moon
  • LQ05 quadrangle

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