Holocene impact craters on Earth

Impact craters are formed by collisions of cosmic bodies moving with hypervelocity. The formation of these features is not restricted to the distant geological past; new structures are constantly being created and at least 13 confirmed impact craters and crater fields have formed during the Holocene...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Miscellanea Geographica: Regional Studies on Development
Main Author: Losiak Anna
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2023-10-01
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0016
Description
Summary:Impact craters are formed by collisions of cosmic bodies moving with hypervelocity. The formation of these features is not restricted to the distant geological past; new structures are constantly being created and at least 13 confirmed impact craters and crater fields have formed during the Holocene alone. This short review paper: (1) introduces the basics of the impact cratering process to physical geographers and Quaternary geologists; (2) provides a short description of representative examples of such features (Morasko, Kaali, Kamil, Ilumetsa); and (3) discusses the similarities and differences among very small craters, and contrasts these with larger impact structures. This manuscript may be useful to researchers planning to test whether a small Quaternary depression in the ground may be of impact origin.
ISSN:2084-6118