impact structure

impact structure, remains of an ancient meteorite impact on Earth’s surface, generally in the form of a circular scar of crushed and deformed bedrock. Because such telltale features as crater walls, fused silica glass, and meteorite fragments are heavily modified over time by erosion and weathering, the identification of impact structures is based chiefly on the presence of subsurface shock structures known as shatter cones. These are conically shaped structures that form in the bedrock directly under the point of impact. They radiate in a distinctive pattern from the point of impact and are identifiable even in drill core samples. The suddenness and intensity of the shattering cannot be produced by other natural means, so the presence of shatter cones is a useful criterion for recognizing impact structures. On the basis of this evidence, Lake Bosumtwi in Ghana and the Vredefort Dome in South Africa have been identified as impact structures.