Impact Sites

Steven Dutch, Professor Emeritus, Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay



For links to references, see the end of the page.

Not everything that makes an arc on a map or air photo is an impact crater. Click the link to see some examples of places that are repeatedly put forth as possible impact sites despite a complete lack of impact evidence.

If you didn't know better, you'd suspect meteors were targeting Australia, North America and Europe. It's not that there are so many craters there, it's that there are so many geologists there, plus countries affluent enough to do detailed geologic mapping. A complete map would have the whole earth covered to the same density. To show you how hard it can be, the Chesapeake Bay impact structure, on the doorstep of Washington D.C., was not discovered until the 1990's, because it is completely buried.

Then there are the oceans. Only a handful of marine impacts have been identified. Impacts capable of making 5-10 km craters on land will merely dig a hole in the ocean and stir up the bottom sediment. Bigger impacts might crater the ocean floor, but water rushing back into the crater will carry debris and fill in the hole. Plus, our knowledge of the ocean floors is still pretty sketchy.

Impacts in ice caps will soon be erased as ice flows into the crater. Impacts big enough to penetrate the ice sheet will make a crater, but ice will soon flow in and cover it. Were there impacts on the Pleistocene ice caps of North America, Europe, and Siberia? Probably. Have any been identified? Not yet.


Acraman South Australia, Australia
Lat. -32.02; Long: 135.45; Diam. (km): 160; Age (My): 570 +/-
Ames Oklahoma, USA
Lat. 36.25; Long: -98.17; Diam. (km): 16; Age (My): 470 +/- 30
Amguid Algeria
Lat. 26.08; Long: 4.38; Diam. (km): 0.45 Age (My): 0.1 +/-
Aouelloul Mauritania
Lat. 20.25; Long: -12.68; Diam. (km): 0.39; Age (My): 3.1 +/- 0.3
Araguainha Dome Mato Grosso, Brazil
Lat. -16.77; Long: -52.98; Diam. (km): 40; Age (My): 249 +/- 19
Avak Alaska, USA
Lat. 71.25; Long: -156.63; Diam. (km): 12; Age (My): 100 +/- 5
Azuara Spain
Lat. 41.17; Long: -0.92; Diam. (km): 30; Age (My): 130 +/-
B.P. Structure Libya
Lat. 25.32; Long: 24.33; Diam. (km): 2.8 Age (My): 120 +/-
Barringer Arizona, USA
Lat. 35.03; Long: -111.02; Diam. (km):1.186; Age (My):0.049 +/-
Beaverhead Montana, USA
Lat. 44.60; Long: -113.00; Diam. (km): 60 Age (My): 600 +/-
Bedout Continental shelf, Australia
Permian
Bee Bluff Texas, USA
Lat. 29.03; Long: -99.85; Diam. (km): 2.4 Age (My): 40 +/-
Beyenchime-Salaat Russia
Lat. 71.83; Long: 123.50; Diam. (km): 8 Age (My): 65 +/-
Bigach Kazakhstan
Lat. 48.50; Long: 82.00; Diam. (km): 7; Age (My): 6 +/- 3
Boltysh Ukraine
Lat. 48.75; Long: 32.17; Diam. (km): 25 Age (My): 88 +/- 3
Bosumtwi Ghana
Lat. 6.53; Long: -1.42; Diam. (km): 10.5 Age (My): 1.3 +/- 0.2
Boxhole Northern Territory, Australia
Lat. -22.62; Long: 135.20; Diam. (km): 0.17; Age (My): 0.03 +/-
Brent Ontario, Canada
Lat. 46.08; Long: -78.48; Diam. (km): 3.8; Age (My): 450 +/- 3
Campo Del Cielo Argentina
Lat. -27.63; Long: -61.70; Diam. (km): 0.05; Age (My): 0 +/-
Carswell Saskatchewan, Canada
Lat. 58.45; Long: -109.50; Diam. (km): 39; Age (My): 115 +/- 10
CharlevoixQuebec, Canada
Lat. 47.53; Long: -70.30; Diam. (km): 54 Age (My): 357 +/- 15
Chesapeake Bay Maryland, USA
Chicxulub Yucatan, Mexico
Lat. 21.33; Long: -89.50; Diam. (km): 300 Age (My):64.98 +/- 0.05
Chiyli Kazakhstan
Lat. 49.17; Long: 57.85; Diam. (km): 5.5; Age (My): 46 +/- 7
Clearwater Lake E Quebec, Canada
Lat. 56.08; Long: -74.12; Diam. (km): 22; Age (My): 290 +/- 20
Clearwater Lake W Quebec, Canada
Lat. 56.22; Long: -74.50; Diam. (km): 32; Age (My): 290 +/- 20
Connolly Basin Western Australia, Australia
Lat. -23.53; Long: 124.75; Diam. (km): 9; Age (My): 60 +/-
Crooked Creek Missouri, USA
Lat. 37.83; Long: -91.38 Diam. (km): 7; Age (My): 320 +/- 80
Dalgaranga Western Australia, Australia
Lat. -27.75; Long: 117.08; Diam. (km):0.021; Age (My): 0.03 +/-
Decaturville Missouri, USA
Lat. 37.90; Long: -92.72 Diam. (km): 6; Age (My): 300 +/-
Deep Bay Saskatchewan, Canada
Lat. 56.40; Long: -102.98; Diam. (km): 13; Age (My): 100 +/- 50
Dellen Sweden
Lat. 61.92; Long: 16.65; Diam. (km): 15; Age (My): 110 +/- 2.7
Des Plaines Illinois, USA
Lat. 42.05; Long: -87.87 Diam. (km): 8; Age (My): 280 +/-
Dobele Latvia
Lat. 56.58; Long: 23.25; Diam. (km): 4.5; Age (My): 300 +/- 35
Eagle Butte Alberta, Canada
Lat. 49.70; Long: -110.58 Diam. (km): 19; Age (My): 65 +/-
El Gygytgyn Russia
Lat. 67.50; Long: 172.08; Diam. (km): 18; Age (My): 3.5 +/- 0.5
Eltanin Bellingshausen Sea
Lat. -57.50; Long: -090  Diam. (km): unknown (known from debris); Age (My): 2.15 +/- 0.07
Flynn Creek Tennessee, USA
Lat. 36.28; Long: -85.67 Diam. (km): 3.55; Age (My): 360 +/- 20
Garnos Norway
Lat. 60.65; Long: 9.00; Diam. (km): 5; Age (My): 500 +/- 10
Glasford Illinois, USA
Lat. 40.60; Long: -89.78; Diam. (km): 4; Age (My): 430 +/-
Glover Bluff Wisconsin, USA
Lat. 43.97; Long: -89.53 Diam. (km): 3; Age (My): 500 +/-
Goat Paddock Western Australia, Australia
Lat. -18.33; Long: 126.67; Diam. (km): 5.1; Age (My): 50 +/-
Gosses Bluff Northern Territory, Australia
Lat. -23.83; Long: 132.32; Diam. (km): 22; Age (My):142.5 +/- 0.5
Gow LakeSaskatchewan, Canada
Lat. 56.45; Long: -104.48; Diam. (km): 4 Age (My): 250 +/-
Gusev Russia
Lat. 48.35; Long: 40.23; Diam. (km): 3.5; Age (My): 65 +/-
Haughton Northwest Territories, Canada
Lat. 75.37; Long: -89.68; Diam. (km): 20.5 Age (My): 21.5 +/- 1
Haviland Kansas, USA
Lat. 37.58; Long: -99.17; Diam. (km):0.015; Age (My): 0 +/-
Henbury Northern Territory, Australia
Lat. -24.58; Long: 133.15; Diam. (km):0.157; Age (My): 0.01 +/
Holleford Ontario, Canada
Lat. 44.47; Long: -76.63; Diam. (km): 2.35; Age (My): 550 +/- 100
Ile Rouleau Quebec, Canada
Lat. 50.68; Long: -73.88; Diam. (km): 4; Age (My): 300 +/-
Ilumetsa Estonia
Lat. 57.97; Long: 25.42; Diam. (km): 0.08 Age (My): 0 +/-
Ilyinets Ukraine
Lat. 49.10; Long: 29.20; Diam. (km): 4.5; Age (My): 395 +/- 5
Janisjarvi Russia
Lat. 61.97; Long: 30.92; Diam. (km): 14 Age (My): 698 +/- 22
Kaalijarvi Estonia
Lat. 58.40; Long: 22.67; Diam. (km): 0.11; Age (My): 0 +/- 0
Kaluga Russia
Lat. 54.50; Long: 36.25; Diam. (km): 15; Age (My): 380 +/- 10
Kamensk Russia
Lat. 48.33; Long: 40.25; Diam. (km): 25; Age (My): 65 +/- 2
Kara Russia
Lat. 69.08; Long: 64.30; Diam. (km): 65; Age (My): 73 +/- 3
Kara-Kul Russia
Lat. 39.02; Long: 73.45; Diam. (km): 52 Age (My): 25 +/-
Kardla Estonia
Lat. 56.98; Long: 22.67; Diam. (km): 4; Age (My): 455 +/-
Karla Russia
Lat. 54.90; Long: 48.00; Diam. (km): 12; Age (My): 10 +/-
Kelly West Northern Territory, Australia
Lat. -19.93; Long: 133.95; Diam. (km): 10; Age (My): 550 +/-
Kentland Indiana, USA
Lat. 40.75; Long: -87.40; Diam. (km): 13; Age (My): 300 +/-
Kursk Russia
Lat. 51.67; Long: 36.00; Diam. (km): 5.5; Age (My): 250 +/- 80
Lac Couture Quebec, Canada
Lat. 60.13; Long: -75.33 Diam. (km): 8; Age (My): 430 +/- 25
Lac La Moinerie Quebec, Canada
Lat. 57.43; Long: -66.62; Diam. (km): 8; Age (My): 400 +/- 50
Lappajarvi Finland
Lat. 63.15; Long: 23.70; Diam. (km): 17 Age (My): 77.3 +/- 0.4
Lawn Hill Queensland, Australia
Lat. -18.67; Long: 138.65; Diam. (km): 18; Age (My): 515 +/-
Liverpool Northern Territory, Australia
Lat. -12.40; Long: 134.05; Diam. (km): 1.6; Age (My): 150 +/- 70
Lockne Sweden
Lat. 63.00; Long: 14.80; Diam. (km): 7; Age (My): 540 +/- 10
Logancha Russia
Lat. 65.50; Long: 95.80; Diam. (km): 20 Age (My): 25 +/- 20
Logoisk Belarus
Lat. 54.20; Long: 27.80; Diam. (km): 17; Age (My): 40 +/- 5
Lonar Madhya Pradesh, India
Lat. 19.98; Long: 76.52; Diam. (km): 1.83; Age (My): 0.52 +/- 0.1
Macha Russia
Lat. 59.98; Long: 118.00; Diam. (km): 0.3; Age (My): 0.01 +/-
Manicouagan Quebec, Canada
Lat. 51.38; Long: -68.70 Diam. (km): 100; Age (My): 212 +/- 1
Manson Iowa, USA
Lat. 42.58; Long: -94.52; Diam. (km): 35; Age (My): 65.7 +/- 1
Marquez Texas, USA
Lat. 31.28; Long: -96.30; Diam. (km): 22; Age (My): 58 +/- 2
Middlesboro Kentucky, USA
Lat. 36.62; Long: -83.73 Diam. (km): 6; Age (My): 300 +/-
Mien Sweden
Lat. 56.42; Long: 14.87; Diam. (km): 9; Age (My): 121 +/- 2.3
Misarai Lithuania
Lat. 54.00; Long: 23.90; Diam. (km): 5; Age (My): 395 +/- 145
Mishina Gora Russia
Lat. 58.67; Long: 28.00; Diam. (km): 4; Age (My): 360 +/-
Mistastin Labrador, Canada
Lat. 55.88; Long: -63.30 Diam. (km): 28; Age (My): 38 +/- 4
Mjolnir Barents Sea
Lat. 73.66; Long: 29.66 Diam. (km): 20; Age (My): 142+/-2.6
Montagnais Offshore Nova Scotia, Canada
Lat. 42.88; Long: -64.22; Diam. (km): 45; Age (My): 50.5 +/- 0.76
Monturaqui Chile
Lat. -23.93; Long: -68.28; Diam. (km): 0.46; Age (My): 1 +/-
Morasko Poland
Lat. 52.48; Long: 16.90; Diam. (km): 0.1; Age (My): 0.01 +/-
New Quebec Quebec, Canada
Lat. 61.28; Long: -73.67 Diam. (km): 3.44; Age (My): 1.4 +/- 0.1
Nicholson Lake Northwest Territories, Canada
Lat. 62.67; Long: -102.68; Diam. (km): 12.5; Age (My): 400 +/-
Oasis Libya
Lat. 24.58; Long: 24.40; Diam. (km): 11.5; Age (My): 120 +/-
Obolon Ukraine
Lat. 49.50; Long: 32.92; Diam. (km): 15; Age (My): 215 +/- 25
Odessa Texas, USA
Lat. 31.75; Long: -102.48; Diam. (km):0.168; Age (My): 0.05 +/-
Ouarkziz Algeria
Lat. 29.00; Long: -7.55; Diam. (km): 3.5 Age (My): 70 +/-
Piccaninny Western Australia, Australia
Lat. -17.53; Long: 128.42; Diam. (km): 7; Age (My): 360 +/-
Pilot Lake Northwest Territories, Canada
Lat. 60.28; Long: -111.02; Diam. (km): 5.8; Age (My): 445 +/- 2
Popigai Russia
Lat. 71.50; Long: 111.00; Diam. (km): 100; Age (My): 35 +/- 5
Presque Ile Quebec, Canada
Lat. 49.72; Long: -78.80; Diam. (km): 12; Age (My): 500 +/-
Pretoria Salt Pan South Africa
Lat. -25.40; Long: 28.08; Diam. (km): 1.13; Age (My): 0.2 +/-
Puchezh-Katunki Russia
Lat. 57.10; Long: 43.58; Diam. (km): 80 Age (My): 220 +/- 10
Ragozinka Russia
Lat. 58.30; Long: 62.00; Diam. (km): 9 Age (My): 55 +/- 5
Red Wing Creek North Dakota, USA
Lat. 47.60; Long: -103.55; Diam. (km): 9; Age (My): 200 +/- 25
Riachao Ring Maranhao, Brazil
Lat. -7.72; Long: -46.65; Diam. (km): 4.5; Age (My): 200 +/-
Ries Bavaria, Germany
Lat. 48.88; Long: 10.62; Diam. (km): 24; Age (My): 14.8 +/- 1
Rio Cuarto Argentina
Lat. -30.87; Long: -64.23; Diam. (km): 4.5; Age (My): 0.1 +/-
Rochechouart France
Lat. 45.83; Long: 0.93; Diam. (km): 23 Age (My): 186 +/- 8
Roter Kamm Namibia
Lat. -27.77; Long: 16.30; Diam. (km): 2.5; Age (My): 5 +/- 0.3
Rotmistrovka Ukraine
Lat. 49.00; Long: 32.00; Diam. (km): 2.7; Age (My): 140 +/- 20
Saaksjarvi Finland
Lat. 61.40; Long: 22.40; Diam. (km): 5 Age (My): 514 +/- 12
Saarijarvi Finland
Saint Martin Manitoba, Canada
Lat. 51.78; Long: -98.53 Diam. (km): 40; Age (My): 220 +/- 32
Serpent Mound Ohio, USA
Lat. 39.03; Long: -83.40; Diam. (km): 6.4; Age (My): 320 +/-
Serra Da Cangalha Brazil
Lat. -8.08; Long: -46.87; Diam. (km): 12 Age (My): 300 +/-
Shunak Kazakhstan
Lat. 47.20; Long: 72.70; Diam. (km): 3.1 Age (My): 12 +/- 5
Sierra Madera Texas, USA
Lat. 30.60; Long: -102.92 Diam. (km): 13; Age (My): 100 +/-
Sikhote AlinRussia
Lat. 46.12; Long: 134.67; Diam. (km):0.027; Age (My): 0 +/-
Siljan Sweden
Lat. 61.03; Long: 14.87; Diam. (km): 55; Age (My): 368 +/- 1.1
Silverpit North Sea
Lat
Slate Islands Ontario, Canada
Lat. 48.67; Long: -87.00 Diam. (km): 30; Age (My): 350 +/-
Sobolev Russia
Lat. 46.30; Long: 138.87; Diam. (km):0.053; Age (My): 0 +/-
Soderfjarden Finland
Lat. 63.00; Long: 21.58; Diam. (km): 6; Age (My): 550 +/-
Spider Western Australia, Australia
Lat. -16.73; Long: 126.08; Diam. (km): 13 Age (My): 570 +/-
Steen River Alberta, Canada
Lat. 59.52; Long: -117.62 Diam. (km): 25; Age (My): 95 +/- 7
Steinheim Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
Lat. 48.67; Long: 10.07; Diam. (km): 3.8 Age (My): 14.8 +/- 0.7
Strangways Northern Territory, Australia
Lat. -15.20; Long: 133.58; Diam. (km): 25; Age (My): 470 +/-
Sudbury Ontario, Canada
Lat. 46.60; Long: -81.18; Diam. (km): 200; Age (My): 1850 +/- 3
Tabun-Khara-Obo Mongolia
Lat. 44.10; Long: 109.60; Diam. (km): 1.3 Age (My): 3 +/-
Talemzane Algeria
Lat. 33.32; Long: 4.03; Diam. (km): 1.75 Age (My): 3 +/-
Teague Western Australia, Australia
Lat. -25.87; Long: 120.88; Diam. (km): 30 Age (My): 1685 +/- 5
Tenoumer Mauritania
Lat. 22.92; Long: -10.40; Diam. (km): 1.9; Age (My): 2.5 +/- 0.5
Ternovka Ukraine
Lat. 48.02; Long: 33.08; Diam. (km): 12; Age (My): 280 +/- 10
Tin Bider Algeria
Lat. 27.60; Long: 5.12; Diam. (km): 6; Age (My): 70 +/-
Toms Canyon Offshore New Jersey, USA
Tookoonooka Queensland, Australia
Lat. -27.00; Long: 143.00; Diam. (km): 55; Age (My): 128 +/- 5
Tvaren Sweden
Lat. 58.77; Long: 17.42; Diam. (km): 2; Age (My): 0 +/-
Upheaval Dome Utah, USA
Lat. 38.43; Long: -109.90 Diam. (km): 5; Age (My): 65 +/-
Ust-Kara Russia
Lat. 69.30; Long: 65.30; Diam. (km): 25; Age (My): 73 +/- 3
Vargeao Dome Argentina
Lat. -26.83; Long: -52.12; Diam. (km): 12; Age (My): 70 +/-
Veevers Western Australia, Australia
Lat. -22.97; Long: 125.37; Diam. (km): 0.08; Age (My): 1 +/-
Vepriaj Lithuania
Lat. 55.10; Long: 24.60; Diam. (km): 8; Age (My): 160 +/- 30
Vredefort South Africa
Lat. -27.00; Long: 27.50; Diam. (km): 140; Age (My): 1970 +/- 100
Wabar Saudi Arabia
Lat. 21.50; Long: 50.47; Diam. (km):0.097 Age (My): 0.01 +/-
Wanapitei Lake Ontario, Canada
Lat. 46.75; Long: -80.75; Diam. (km): 7.5; Age (My): 37 +/- 2
Wells Creek Tennessee, USA
Lat. 36.38; Long: -87.67 Diam. (km): 14; Age (My): 200 +/- 100
West Hawk Lake Manitoba, Canada
Lat. 49.77; Long: -95.18; Diam. (km): 3.15; Age (My): 100 +/- 50
Wolf Creek Western Australia, Australia
Lat. -19.30; Long: 127.77; Diam. (km):0.875; Age (My): 0.3 +/-
Zapadnaya Ukraine
Lat. 49.73; Long: 29.00; Diam. (km): 4; Age (My): 115 +/- 10
Zeleny Gai Ukraine
Lat. 48.70; Long: 32.90; Diam. (km): 2.5; Age (My): 120 +/- 20
Zhamanshin Kazakhstan
Lat. 48.40; Long: 60.97; Diam. (km): 13.5; Age (My): 0.9 +/- 0.1

References

References for sites A-G
References for sites H-P
References for sites R-Z


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Created 14 April 1999, Last Update 11 January 2020