Tindr (crater)

Tindr is a small impact crater located on the surface of Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. It is named after Tindr, a character in Norse mythology, specifically a jötunn (giant). The name follows the International Astronomical Union (IAU) naming convention for Europan features, which draws from mythological figures associated with tales of ice, cold, or winter.

Tindr is a relatively young feature geologically, as indicated by its crisp morphology and the minimal disruption of its surrounding terrain. While specific dimensions are subject to refinement through ongoing analysis of spacecraft imagery, Tindr is considered a smaller crater compared to other impact features on Europa.

The study of craters like Tindr is crucial for understanding the age and geological history of Europa's icy surface. By analyzing the size and distribution of impact craters, scientists can estimate the surface age and gain insights into the processes that resurface the moon, potentially including cryovolcanism and tectonic activity related to the subsurface ocean believed to exist beneath Europa's icy shell. Observations of the crater and its ejecta may also provide information about the composition of Europa's surface ice.