Set Catena
A pit chain on Triton linked to cryovolcanic activity.
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Set Catena is a chain of pits, or catena, on Neptune’s largest moon, Triton, and is thought to be a tectonic fault. It lies near Leviathan Patera, a large cryovolcanic structure, and may have contributed to rift-driven cryovolcanic activity in that area. The catena extends northward from Leviathan Patera in a radial pattern, ending at another irregular walled depression.
The pits in Set Catena are spaced about 20 kilometers apart, with each pit averaging 10 kilometers across and up to 500 meters deep. They may have formed through collapse or explosive cryovolcanic eruptions, and later widened by mass wasting. Set Catena could be a northeastern continuation of Raz Fossae, a similar fault system to the southwest of Leviathan Patera.
All surface features on Triton, including Set Catena, were discovered during Voyager 2’s flyby of the Neptune system on August 25, 1989. The feature is named after the Egyptian deity Set, with the name officially approved by the International Astronomical Union in 1991. It is located near 22°N, 33°30E, within Cipango Planum and Monad Regio.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Set Catena?
Set Catena is a linear chain of collapse pits on Triton, Neptune's largest moon, that scientists interpret as the surface expression of a tectonic fault. The individual pits average roughly 10 kilometers in diameter and can plunge as deep as 500 meters below the surface.
Where exactly is Set Catena located on Triton?
It sits at approximately 22°N, 33°30'E, straddling the Cipango Planum and Monad Regio regions. The chain radiates northward from the rim of Leviathan Patera and terminates at a second, irregular walled depression.
More in Moons of Neptune
Elsewhere in Moons of Uranus and Neptune
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Set Catena (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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