List of impact structures in Africa
Confirmed impact structures[edit]
This list of impact structures in Africa includes all 20 confirmed impact craters as listed in the Earth Impact Database. These features were caused by the collision of large meteorites or comets with the Earth. For eroded or buried craters, the stated diameter typically refers to an estimate of original rim diameter, and may not correspond to present surface features.
Unconfirmed impact structures[edit]
The following craters are officially considered "unconfirmed" because they are not listed in the Earth Impact Database. Due to stringent requirements regarding evidence and peer-reviewed publication, newly discovered craters or those with difficulty collecting evidence generally are known for some time before becoming listed. However, entries on the unconfirmed list could still have an impact origin disproven.
Name | Location | Diameter | Age | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kebira | Gilf Kebir region, Egypt | 31 km | 100 million | 24°40′N 24°58′E / 24.667°N 24.967°E |
Temimichat[2] | Mauritania | 0.75 km | unknown | 24°15′N 9°39′W / 24.250°N 9.650°W |
Wembo-Nyama ring structure[3][4] | DR Congo | 36–46 km (est.) | 60 million | 3°37′52″S 24°31′07″E / 3.63111°S 24.51861°E |
Mahas1[5] | Northern, Sudan | 2.85 km | Unknown | 20°01′53″N 30°13′48″E / 20.03139°N 30.23000°E |
Circular feature with clear ca. rim 300 m above ground level centred around the hamlet of Baw | Blue Nile State | 5 km | Unknown | 11°20′00″N 30°03′00″E / 11.33333°N 30.05000°E |
Circular Feature [6] | North-Central Niger | 10 km | Unknown | 21°21′14.56″N 9° 8′32.24″E |
Vélingara circular structure[7] | Kolda Region, Senegal | 48 km | Unknown | 13°00′00″N 14°08′00″W / 13.00000°N 14.13333°W |
Notes[edit]
1Mahas was anonymously added Jan 2015, but the coordinates do show a convincing impact-like structure.
It appears to me there is also an impact crater several miles in diameter, approximately 40-45 miles to the SE of Tete, Mozambique. But this only based from an aerial inspection from Google Earth and not from any ground inspection or geological verification.
See also[edit]
- Impact craters
- Impact events
- Bolides and Meteorites
- Earth Impact Database – primary source
- Traces of Catastrophe book from Lunar and Planetary Institute - comprehensive reference on impact crater science
References[edit]
- ^ CHENNAOUI AOUDJEHANE, H., EL KERNI, H., REIMOLD, W., BARATOUX, D., KOEBERL, C., BOULEY, S., and AOUDJEHANE, M. (2016). "The Agoudal (High Atlas Mountains, Morocco) shatter cone conundrum: A recent meteorite fall onto the remnant of an impact site". Meteoritics & Planetary Science, pp.1-22, 2016.
- ^ A. P. Rossi; A. Baliva & E. Piluso (2003). "New Evidences of an Impact Origin for Temimichat Crater, Mauritania" (PDF). Lunar and Planetary Science. XXXIV. Lunar and Planetary Institute: 1882. Bibcode:2003LPI....34.1882R.
- ^ G. Monegato; M. Massironi & E. Martellato (2010). "The Ring Structure of Wembo-Nyama (Eastern Kasai, R.D. Congo): A Possible Impact Crater in Central Africa" (PDF). Lunar and Planetary Science. XLI (1533). Lunar and Planetary Institute: 1601. Bibcode:2010LPI....41.1601M.
- ^ "Ring may be giant 'impact crater'". BBC News. 2010-03-10. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ^ New Desert Crater Found Using Google Maps and Free Software
- ^ Lobpries, Trey A.; Lapen, Thomas J. (October 2018). "Remote sensing evidence for a possible 10 kilometer in diameter impact structure in north-central Niger". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 150: 673–684. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2018.09.020. ISSN 1464-343X. S2CID 134091686.
- ^ S. Wade, M. Barbieri, J. Lichtenegger (2001) The Velingara Circular Structure Esa Bulletin June 2001
External links[edit]
- Africa Impact Craters, Earth Impact Database – List of confirmed earth impact sites at the Planetary and Space Science Centre, University of New Brunswick
- Impact Database (formerly Suspected Earth Impact Sites list) maintained by David Rajmon for Impact Field Studies Group, USA