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
Access Other Pages on Planets
Access Course Notes on Planetary Geology
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Created 14 April 1999, Last Update 11 January 2020