Geologic effects of large terrestrial impact crater formation

Abstract

To date around 180 impact structures have been identified on Earth. The diameters of these structures are from ∼10 to ∼200-250 km. Knowledge about terrestrial impact structures accumulated during many decades includes a large amount of geological and geophysical data. These data are very useful in formulating important constraints for impact model parameters reaching a double goal: (1) to fit parameters in the available mechanical models of planetary crust reaction to the impact event, and (2) to use numerical modeling to make an insight into the possible original structure of partially eroded terrestrial impact structures. This chapter presents results of numerical modeling for selected terrestrial impact craters (Puchezh-Karunki, Popigai, Vredefort, Sudbury, and Chicxulub) and compares model results with available geologic and geophysical data, obtained in the field study of aforementioned structures. © 2008 Springer.