Eli5, why does earth have way less craters then almost any other planet in our solar system?
In: 7
Naturally-occurring craters are typically caused by debris from space that survives to impact the surface of a planet.
Planets with an atmosphere will have fewer craters because debris burns up before it can reach the surface.
Fast moving debris entering Earth’s atmosphere must withstand intense heat caused by friction with the air.
Most or all of the debris burns away before it can reach the planet and make a crater.
Two reasons.
First, we have a very large moon. The moon intercepts a lot of asteroids for us. Either taking the hit for us, or pulling the asteroid away with it’s gravity.
Second, we have weather. When an asteroid hits the moon, that crater stays there essentially forever. When as asteroid hits the earth, that crater is worn away over time by wind, water, and animals.
Isnt there something about Jupiters gravitational pull that throws a lot of debris off course that would have otherwise hit earth?
Erosion and plate tectonics are both systems that slowly erase craters over time.
Earth has very very very active erosion processes and plate tectonics compared to the other crater-filled rocky planets and moons we see in our solar system.
We have water and weather and plant life. That erases the craters we get much faster than they get erased on other planets.