Landslides on Charon.

We investigated five large landslides identified in the Serenity Chasma region of Charon. The identification of these landslides involved a search for these features in images taken by cameras onboard the New Horizons spacecraft. Various landslide properties were analyzed based on their morphologies using a digital terrain model of the region. We found that landslides are confined to the walls of the large normal fault scarps that make up Serenity Chasma. Based on extensive landslide runout lengths (L) relative to their drop heights (H), we classified these features as long-runout landslides. By analyzing their geometries, we estimated the friction coefficients of the landslide material (H / L) to be between 0.15 to 0.31 and the runout efficiencies (L / H) to be between 3.2 and 6.8. We also estimated that the specific energy released during landslide motion ranged from 0.8 to 1.3 kJ kg−1. These amounts of energy were too low to have generated significant melt around landslide particles. • We investigated landslides identified in the Serenity Chasma region of Charon. • Friction coefficients of the landslide material are between 0.15 and 0.31. • Landslide runout efficiencies are between 3.2 and 6.8. • The specific energy released during landslide motion ranged from 0.8 to 1.3 kJ kg−1. • Significant melt was not likely generated around landslide particles during motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]