Dawes is circular with a sharp rim that has a slightly flattened oval perimeter. It has a slight central rise, and a somewhat darker floor that is nearly covered in overlapping swirl-like deposits. Much of the deposits are slumped or fall-back material. The inner walls are steep and free from impact erosion. Northeast of Dawes is a rille known as Rima Dawes. Detailed examination of this crater has located what appear to be alcoves and channels along the inner rim. It is hypothesized that
micrometeorite impacts along the rim trigger dry landslides, which produce a
gully-like appearance. A similar phenomenon may be responsible for
gully-like features along the inner rim of some
Martian craters. ==References==