Impact deposit at the Moneva reservoir, Azuara impact structure (Spain)

by Ferran Claudin, Daniel Gorgas & Kord Ernstson (March 2013)

In 2012 in the course of a field trip around the Moneva reservoir (Fig. 1, 2) one of the authors, Daniel Gorgas from Azuara who already in the past had frequently contributed important geologic observations to the Azuara impact research, came across a geologic setting that appeared to drastically deviate from the “normal” deposits well known to him as the extended young Tertiary sediments within the Azuara structure. Following his report we began to study the geological maps of the area around the reservoir (Fig. 2, 3) and then to investigate the outcrops in more detail.

Fig. 1. Location map for the investigated outcrops at the Moneva reservoir within the Azuara impact structure (roughly outlined by a dashed circle). Continue reading “Impact deposit at the Moneva reservoir, Azuara impact structure (Spain)”

Reminding of a nearly forgotten probable large meteorite crater strewn field: The Quillagua site (Province of Antofagasta, Northern Chile) – Part 1

Continue reading “Reminding of a nearly forgotten probable large meteorite crater strewn field: The Quillagua site (Province of Antofagasta, Northern Chile) – Part 1”

Suspected Saarland impact and Chiemgau impact – do they form a pair?

Chiemgau impact: is there a parallel with the Saarland region?

The earlier stated assumption that the Chiemgau impact may have a counterpart in the Saarland region

http://de.scribd.com/doc/51477759/A-possible-Holocene-meteorite-impact-in-the-Saarland-region-West-Germany

has been strengthened by new finds and new geologic and petrographic features. A respective update article may be clicked here:

http://de.scribd.com/doc/111786823/Saarland-impact-suspected-meteorite-impact-near-Nalbach-Prims-update

Azuara impact structure: The Daroca thrust geologic enigma – solved? A Ries impact structure analog

by Ferran Claudin & Kord Ernstson (2012)

Abstract

A nappe-like thrust of Cambrian over Tertiary, the Daroca thrust, in northeast Spain has puzzled geologists since longtime. Because of a lacking root zone and a lacking relief it didn’t match a reasonable geologic pattern. In the younger regional geologic literature the thrust is nevertheless incorporated in Alpine regional tectonics. An obviously first closer investigation of the involved Cambrian and Tertiary units, their facies and structural setting leads to a model that relates the Daroca thrust to the nearby roughly 40 km-diameter Azuara impact structure. The thrust is part of the excavation stage of impact cratering which may have affected both the Cambrian plate and the diamictic Tertiary below. The model is strongly substantiated by comparison with the Ries impact structure where similar thrusts and related features occur. The Daroca thrust is one more example reflecting the work of the regional geologists who pretend the giant Azuara impact event with the formation of the Azuara impact structure and the adjacent about 70 km Rubielos de la Cérida elongated impact basin never happened. Hence, all their regional geologic models still developed which completely ignore the impact and its radical influence on the Tertiary regional geology are without any scientific relevance.

1 Introduction

Fig. 1. Daroca, Province of Zaragoza, Spain.

The very nice town of Daroca in the Spanish Province of Zaragoza (Fig. 1) hides a peculiar geologic scenario – an enigma for geologists from time out of mind. Being enthroned above the town the geologic stratigraphy shows with a very sharp cut Cambrian dolomite (Ribota dolomite) over Tertiary young sediments (Fig. 2). Older layers over younger ones are not uncommon in geology, and overthrust and thrust faulting are related processes. Continue reading “Azuara impact structure: The Daroca thrust geologic enigma – solved? A Ries impact structure analog”

Impact-induced surface hardening of polished quartzite cobbles, Triassic Buntsandstein conglomerates, Northern Spain

by Kord Ernstson & Ferran Claudin (2012)

Shocked quartzite cobbles making up widely spread Triassic Buntsandstein conglomerates in Northern Spain have been reported (Ernstson et al. 1999, 2001) to be related to the Mid-Tertiary large Azuara multiple impact event with the formation of the Azuara impact structure and the Rubielos de la Cérida elongated impact basin (Hradil et al. 2001, Ernstson et al. 2001, 2002, Schüssler et al. 2002, Claudin & Ernstson 2003, Ernstson et al. 2003). The quartzite cobbles (and boulders) are peculiarly and intensively pockmarked and cratered (Figs. 1, 2) and show in general a closely spaced subparallel fracturing (Fig. 3). The cobbles’ characteristics become especially evident when they are found scattered in the field as a result of the conglomerate weathering (Fig. 4).

Fig. 1. Typically pockmarked, cratered and polished (the large boulder) quartzite cobbles and boulders from the Triassic Buntsandstein conglomerates.

Continue reading “Impact-induced surface hardening of polished quartzite cobbles, Triassic Buntsandstein conglomerates, Northern Spain”

Conducting hypervelocity impact experiments

Experimental hypervelocity crater generation

“Understanding the Impact Cratering Process: a Simple Approach” – Now, we added a submenu to this item comprising records with a high-speed camera of a true hypervelocity impact in the laboratory and some explanations. A video that shows the formation of an impact crater can be downloaded THERE. Results of more experiments will be posted soon.

Diaplectic mica (muscovite) glass in a rock from the Chiemgau impact meteorite crater strewn field

Click a respective article

that addresses also the formation of very small hypervelocity impact craters (Carancas, Peru, type).

The Mesoarchaean Maniitsoq structure, West Greenland – a possible giant ancient impact structure

In the 1 July 2012 issue of the Earth and Planetary Science Letters journal an article has been published on a suspected 100 km sized impact structure that on verification would document the oldest cosmic collision on Earth so far known.

Adam A. Garde, Iain McDonald, Brendan Dyck, Nynke Keulen: Searching for giant, ancient impact structures on Earth: The Mesoarchaean Maniitsoq structure, West Greenland. – Earth Planet. Sci. Let., vol. 337-338, 197-210.

YDB impact: a new chapter

**… or a “Requiem” for the rejection of the hypothesis?**

YDB abbreviates Younger Dryas Boundary. The Younger Dryas stadial signifies a sharp onset of a period of cold climatic conditions in Earth’s history lasting roughly 1,000 years between about 11,000 and 10,000 B.C. at the end of the Pleistocene (the “Ice Age”) and the beginning Holocene.

The causes of this event are controversially disputed, and they are conventionally ascribed to perturbations of North Atlantic circulation. In 2007, a new hypothesis on a giant meteorite impact Continue reading “YDB impact: a new chapter”

Chiemgau impact: a probable doublet meteorite crater in Lake Chiemsee

Kord Ernstson (2012)

Since a few years there is evidence of a doublet meteorite crater at the bottom of Lake Chiemsee (Fig. 3) in the Chiemgau meteorite crater strewn field. The search for a suspected impact into the lake was originally based on reports of fishermen about unusual sharp-edged large stones at the lake bottom that had damaged their fishnets. Such stones are in fact foreign matter in the lake. A general echo sounder campaign, followed by a detailed survey veritably revealed a peculiar structure, likewise a foreign element in the lake (Fig.1), with all evidence of a rimmed doublet crater. The similarity to meteoritic dual craters on Mars that formed synchronously by twin projectiles is striking (Fig. 2).

Fig. 1. The proposed meteorite doublet crater at the bottom of Lake Chiemsee from detailed SONAR echo sounder measurements. Meter scale indicates water depth.

Fig. 2. Meteoritic dual craters on Mars (image source NASA) and a counterpart at the bottom of Lake Chiemsee: A remarkable similarity. The more diffuse contours of the Lake Chiemsee craters is not surprising because of the impact into water and a loosely bound and water-saturated sedimentary target below.

More evidence of a meteorite impact into the lake came up with the frequent finds of pumice at the shore of Lake Chiemsee (more can be read HERE) and the observation of very young tsunami deposits uncovered in the environs of the lake (see HERE and HERE).

Fig. 3. Location map for the Lake Chiemsee in southeast Bavaria hiding the probable meteorite doublet crater.

Unfortunately, because of the deep water the crater is not accessible directly.