Discovery of the Hailin impact crater in northeast China

Abstract

A uniquely shaped impact structure, the Hailin impact crater, has been discovered in northeast China. The crater was formed on a granodiorite hillside and is an oval depression with asymmetric rim height and a maximum diameter of 1360 m. The bottom of the crater is filled by Quaternary sediments with large amounts of rock fragments underneath. The discovery of quartz planar deformation features in rock clasts on the crater floor provides diagnostic evidence for the impact origin of the structure. The shape of the crater is largely due to the impact having occurred on a ridge terrain. The impact event probably occurred in the late Cenozoic Era. The Hailin impact crater is the fourth confirmed Chinese impact crater.