Impact geology
8 questions tagged Impact geology — spanning every one of the seven Ws.
When was the Chicxulub impact crater discovered?
In 1991, when geophysicists identified the buried crater in Mexico linked to the dinosaur-killing asteroid impact.
Whose work first explained the origin of meteorites?
Eugene Shoemaker was a major pioneer in impact cratering and meteorite science. He showed that many craters on Earth and the Moon were made by impacts, not volcanism.
What is an impact breccia?
An impact breccia is a rock made of broken fragments fused or cemented together by the energy of a meteorite impact.
When did the first scientific description of an asteroid impact crater as a possible meteorite site appear?
A major scientific argument appeared in 1903, with Barringer's work at Meteor Crater gaining traction in the early 1900s.
Which is the largest known impact crater on Earth?
The Vredefort crater in South Africa is the largest known impact crater on Earth. Its original diameter is estimated at about 250 to 300 kilometers.
Where is the largest meteorite crater on Earth?
The largest confirmed meteorite impact structure on Earth is the Vredefort impact structure in South Africa. It lies near the town of Vredefort in the Free State province.
Where is the Vredefort impact structure located?
It is in South Africa, near the town of Vredefort in Free State province. It is the oldest confirmed large impact structure on Earth.
Where is the Barringer Crater located?
It is in northern Arizona, United States. Also called Meteor Crater, it was formed by a meteorite impact about 50,000 years ago.