Rupes Cauchy is a 120 km-long escarpment at 9°00′N 37°00′E / 9.0°N 37.0°E on the surface of the Moon. It faces southwest, and rises about 200–300 m.[1] It is located in the northeastern portion of the Mare Tranquillitatis, and is named after the nearby crater Cauchy.
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The east end of Rupes Cauchy emerges from the highlands on the eastern margin of Mare Tranquillitatis. The 3.6 km diameter crater Cauchy C intersects the Rupes due south of Cauchy crater itself. Cauchy E and F lie to the north side of the Rupes, and Cauchy B lies on the south side. At the west end of the Rupes are two similar-sized elongate depressions (unlikely to be impact craters). Between Cauchy B and the depressions the Rupes form an en echelon pattern, similar to that of veins within rock on earth, on a grand scale. The similar-sized craters Sinas J and H lie to the west of the depressions.[2]
Rupes Cauchy casts a thin shadow about five days after the new moon, when the sunrise terminator is nearby and the sunlight is arriving at a low angle.[3]
The feature name is shown as Fossa Casals on a 1974 map[4] based on Apollo 15 photographs, but the name was not approved by the IAU.[5] The term Rupes was used in favor of Fossa for the names of lunar scarps (such as Rupes Recta or Rupes Altai).
References
edit- ^ Westfall, John Edward (2000). Atlas of the lunar terminator. Cambridge University Press. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-521-59002-0.
- ^ LAC 61 Lunar Chart 61, Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)
- ^ Grego, Peter (2004). Moon Observer's Guide. Firefly Books. p. 72. ISBN 978-1-55297-888-7.
- ^ LTO-61A3 Cauchy, Lunar Topographic Orthophotomap (LTO) Series
- ^ Rupes Cauchy, Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)
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