Amaral (crater)

{{short description|Crater on Mercury}}

{{Infobox feature on celestial object

| name = Amaral

| image = Amaral crater.png

| caption = An image of Amaral and surrounding regions; Amaral is labelled in the bottom inset

| location = Neruda quadrangle, Mercury

| type = Central-peak impact crater

| coordinates = {{coord|26.4|S|242.3|W|globe:mercury_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| diameter = {{cvt|105|km}}

| eponym = Tarsila do Amaral

}}

Amaral is a crater on the planet Mercury. With its smooth floor, surrounding ejecta, and small secondary craters, it appears noticeably younger than the heavily cratered surface around it. Along with a smooth crater floor, Amaral also has a central peak. Bright material on this peak is of particular interest as it appears to have an unusual color. In color-enhanced images, the central peak of Amaral appears as a bright blue color in striking contrast to the otherwise orange tones of surface material nearby. The different color of the central peak likely indicates rocks with different chemical composition from those on the neighboring surface.{{Cite web |url=https://messenger.jhuapl.edu/Explore/Science-Images-Database/gallery-image-286.html |title=AMARAL'S COLOR PALETTE |access-date=2022-03-20 }}

Amaral is the second-largest crater of the Kuiperian system on Mercury, at {{cvt|105|km}} diameter, after Bartók at {{cvt|118|km}}. It is followed by Tyagaraja crater.Denevi, B. W., Ernst, C. M., Prockter, L. M., and Robinson, M. S., 2018. The Geologic History of Mercury. In Mercury: The View After MESSENGER edited by Sean C. Solomon, Larry R. Nittler, and Brian J. Anderson. Cambridge Planetary Science. Chapter 6, Table 6.4.

A confirmed dark spot is present in southeastern Amaral.Zhiyong Xiao, Robert G. Strom, David T. Blewett, Paul K. Byrne, Sean C. Solomon, Scott L. Murchie, Ann L. Sprague, Deborah L. Domingue, Jörn Helbert, 2013. Dark spots on Mercury: A distinctive low-reflectance material and its relation to hollows. Journal of Geophysical Research Planets. [https://doi.org/10.1002/jgre.20115 doi.org/10.1002/jgre.20115]

The crater Heaney is to the southeast of Amaral.

Amaral crater EN0251518331M.jpg|High resolution view of the interior, from MESSENGER

Amaral crater EN0236873588M.jpg|Oblique view at a low sun angle

Amaral crater EN0264042540M EN0264071220M.jpg|Mosaic showing most of the crater at a high sun angle. Note the bright central peak complex.

Amaral crater Heaney crater MESSENGER WAC IGF to RGB.jpg|Regional approximate color view with Amaral at left, showing its bright, extensive ray system.