Shoemaker crater

The crater seen from space

The Shoemaker crater in Western Australia (formerly known as Teague Ring) is an obvious impact crater, the remains of an ancient meteorite strike. Later research gave clear evidence for this, including the presence of shatter cones and shocked quartz.[1]

It is in dry central Western Australia, about 100 km (62 mi) north-northeast of Wiluna.[2] It is named after planetary geologist Eugene Shoemaker.[3]

It was dated to 1630 million years ago.[4][5] More recent dating by K–Ar methods give ages as young as 568 ± 20 mya.[6] This age could date the impact event or represent tectonic activity.

Shoemaker Crater Media

References

  1. Shoemaker E.M. & Shoemaker C.S. 1996. The Proterozoic impact record of Australia. AGSO Journal of Australian Geology and Geophysics 16, 379-398.
  2. Earth Impact DB Shoemaker [1] Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Pirajno F. & Glikson A.Y. 1998. Shoemaker impact structure Western Australia (formerly Teague ring structure). Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy 69, 25–30.
  4. Shoemaker E.M. & Shoemaker C.S. 1996. The Proterozoic impact record of Australia. AGSO Journal of Australian Geology and Geophysics 16, 379-398.
  5. Bunting J.A; De Laeter J.R. & Libby W.G. 1980. Evidence for the age and cryptoexplosive origin of the Teague Ring structure, Western Australia. Geological Survey of Western Australia, Annual Review 1980, 81–85.
  6. Pirajno F. 2002. Geology of the Shoemaker impact structure. Geological Survey of Western Australia Report 82. GSWA download search Archived 2009-07-13 at the Wayback Machine