An anthropogenic origin of the “Sirente crater,” Abruzzi,Italy

Abstract— In this paper, we review the recent hypothesis, based mostly on geomorphological features, that a ～130 m‐wide sag pond, surrounded by a saddle‐shaped rim from the Sirente plain (Abruzzi, Italy), is the first‐discovered meteoritic crater of Italy. Sub‐circular depressions (hosting ponds), with geomorphological features and size very similar to those exhibited by the main Sirente sag, are exposed in other neighboring intermountain karstic plains from Abruzzi. We have sampled present‐day soils from these sag ponds and from the Sirente sags (both the main “crater” and some smaller ones, recently interpreted as a crater field) and various Abruzzi paleosols from excavated trenches with an age range encompassing the estimated age of the “Sirente crater.” For all samples, we measured the magnetic susceptibility and determined the Ni and Cr contents of selected specimens. The results show that the magnetic susceptibility values and the geochemical composition are similar for all samples (from Sirente and other Abruzzi sags) and are both significantly different from the values reported for soils contaminated by meteoritic dust. No solid evidence pointing at an impact origin exists, besides the circular shape and rim of the main sag. The available observations and data suggest that the “Sirente crater,” together with analogous large sags in the Abruzzi intermountain plains, have to be attributed to the historical phenomenon of “transumanza” (seasonal migration of sheep and shepherds), a custom that for centuries characterized the basic social‐economical system of the Abruzzi region. Such sags were excavated to provide water for millions of sheep, which spent summers in the Abruzzi karstic high pasture lands, on carbonatic massifs deprived of natural superficial fresh water. Conversely, the distribution of the smaller sags from the Sirente plain correlates with the local pattern of the calcareous bedrock and, together with the characteristics of their internal structure, are best interpreted as natural dolines. In fact, reported radiocarbon ages for the formation of the main sag pond and of the smaller sags differ (significantly) by more than two millennia, thus excluding that they were all contemporaneously formed by a meteoritic impact.     

Statistical “Z” parallaxes

A new method for deriving statistical parallaxes is proposed. The method uses the symmetry in the distribution of the Z-component of the stellar space velocity vectors. It should be suited to derive the statistical parallaxes of stars of population II, for which the usual method fails.     

Resurge gullies and “inverted sombrero” morphology,Flynn Creek impact structure,Tennessee

The Flynn Creek impact structure is an approximately 3.8 km diameter, marine‐target impact structure, which is located in north central Tennessee, USA. The target stratigraphy consists of several hundreds of meters of Ordovician carbonate strata, specifically Knox Group through Catheys‐Leipers Formation. Like other, similarly sized marine‐target impact craters, Flynn Creek's crater moat‐filling deposits include, in stratigraphic order, gravity‐driven slump material, aqueous resurge deposits, and secular (postimpact) aqueous settling deposits. In the present study, we show that Flynn Creek also possesses previously undescribed erosional resurge gullies and an annular, sloping surface that comprises an outer crater rim surrounding an inner, nested bowl‐shaped crater, thus forming a concentric crater structure. Considering this morphology, the Flynn Creek impact structure has a crater shape that has been referred to at other craters as an “inverted sombrero.” In this paper, we describe the annular rim and the inner crater at Flynn Creek using geographic information system technology. We relate these geomorphic features to the marine environment of crater formation, and compare the Flynn Creek impact structure with other marine‐target impact structures having similar features.     

GRIER(b), A “MONOMICT,” BRECCIATED CHONDRITE

The Grier(b), New Mexico meteorite, a single mass of 929.4 grams, was found in 1969. This brecciated chondrite can be classified as an L-group from the bulk chemical analysis, ～ 8 wt % metal with an estimated total iron content of 25 wt %, and the constant olivine (Fa_25.5) and orthopyroxene (Fs₂₃) compositions. The main portion of the meteorite fits the criteria for an L5 (grey to intermediate hypersthene) chondrite. A conspicuous, large (several cm³) dense fragment, texturally an L6–7 chondrite, contains practically no metal or chondrules. However, there is little variation in the bulk silicate and individual phase compositions between the fragment and the matrix. In spite of this, it seems unlikely that the fragment was created in situ because metal and sulfide are not found in the fragment-matrix contact zone; thus the formation of olivines and pyroxenes in both parts, as well as the “draining” of metal from the fragment, occurred prior to accretion with little, if any, subsequent thermal metamorphism.     

Genesis—An artificial,low velocity “meteor” fall and recovery: September 8, 2004

Abstract— On September 8, 2004, Genesis, a manmade space capsule, plummeted to Earth after almost three years in space. A ground‐based infrasound array was deployed to Wendover, Nevada, to measure the “hypersonic boom” from the reentry, since the expected initial reentry speed of the body was about 11 km/sec. Due to the complete failure of its dual parachute system, we had a unique opportunity to assess the degree of reliability of our previously developed relations for natural meteors and bolides to analyze this well‐characterized manmade body. At ?20–50 km from the nominal trajectory, we succeeded in recording over two minutes of infrasonic signals from Genesis. Here we report on subsequent analyses of these infrasonic data, including an assessment of the expected entry characteristics on the basis of a bolide/meteor/fireball entry model specifically adapted to modeling reentering manmade objects. From these simulations, we were able to evaluate the line source blast wave relaxation radius, the differential acoustic efficiency, etc., to compute an approximate total power balance during entry. Next, we analyzed the detailed signals arriving from Genesis using a numerical, signal detection and wave processing software package (Matseis/Infra_Tool). We established the initial and subsequent arrivals and evaluated its plane wave back azimuths and elevation arrival angles and the degree of maximum, pair‐wise cross‐correlation, its power spectrum, spectrogram analysis, standard seismic f‐k analysis, etc. From the associated entry parameters, we computed the kinetic energy density conservation properties for the propagating line source blast waves and compared these predictions against observed ground‐based infrasound amplitude and wave period data as a function of range. We discovered that previously computed differential acoustic efficiencies were unreliable at Mach numbers below about 10. This is because we had assumed that a line source explosion was applicable, whereas at very low Mach numbers, typical of recovered meteorites, the detailed source characteristics are closer to those of supersonic objects. When corrections for these unphysical, very high efficiencies were made, agreement between theory and observations improved. We also made an assessment for the energy of the blast wave source from the ground‐based infrasound data using several other techniques that were also adapted from previous bolide studies. Finally, we made a top‐down‐bottom‐up assessment of the line source wave normals propagating via refraction downward into the complex middle atmospheric environment. This assessment proved to be generally consistent with the digital signal processing analysis and with the observed time delay between the known Genesis reentry and the infrasonic observations.     

Newly identified “Tunnunik” impact structure,Prince Albert Peninsula,northwestern Victoria Island,Arctic Canada

Regional geological mapping of the glaciated surface of northwestern Victoria Island in the western Canadian Arctic revealed an anomalous structure in otherwise flat‐lying Neoproterozoic and lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks, located south of Richard Collinson Inlet. The feature is roughly circular in plan view, approximately 25 km in diameter, and characterized by quaquaversal dips of approximately 45°, decreasing laterally. The core of the feature also exhibits local vertical dips, low‐angle reverse faults, and drag folds. Although brecciation was not observed, shatter cones are pervasive in all lithologies in the central area, including 723 Ma old dikes that penetrate Neoproterozoic limestones. Their abundance decreases distally, and none was observed in surrounding, horizontally bedded strata. This circular structure is interpreted as a deeply eroded meteorite impact crater of the complex type, and the dipping strata as the remnants of the central uplift. The variation in orientation and shape of shatter cones point to variably oriented stresses with the passage of the shock wave, possibly related to the presence of pore water in the target strata as well as rock type and lithological heterogeneities, especially bed thickness. Timing of impact is poorly constrained. The youngest rocks affected are Late Ordovician (approximately 450 Ma) and the impact structure is mantled by undisturbed postglacial sediments. Regional, hydrothermal dolomitization of the Ordovician limestones, possibly in the Late Devonian (approximately 360 Ma), took place before the impact, and widespread WSW–ENE‐trending normal faults of probable Early Cretaceous age (approximately 130 Ma) apparently cross‐cut the impact structure.     

Comment on: “New” lunar meteorites: Impact melt and regolith breccias and large‐scale heterogeneities of the upper lunar crust,by P. H. Warren,F. Ulff‐Møller,and G. W. Kallemeyn

Abstract We described lunar meteorite Dhofar 026 (Cohen et al. 2004) and interpreted this rock as a strongly shocked granulitic breccia (or fragmental breccia consisting almost entirely of granulitic‐breccia clasts) that was partially melted by post‐shock heating. Warren et al. (2005) objected to many aspects of our interpretation: they were uncertain whether or not the bulk rock had been shocked; they disputed our identification of the precursor as granulitic breccia; and they suggested that mafic, igneous‐textured globules within the breccia, which we proposed were melted by post‐shock heating, are clasts with relict textures. The major evidence for shock of the bulk rock is the fact that the plagioclase in the lithologic domains that make up 80–90% of the rock is devitrified maskelynite. The major evidence for a granulitic‐breccia precursor is the texture of the olivine‐plagioclase domain that constitutes 40—45% of the rock; Warren et al. apparently overlooked or ignored this lithology. Textures of the mafic, igneous‐textured globules, and especially of the vesicles they contain, demonstrate that these bodies were melted and crystallized in situ. Warren et al. suggested that the rock might have originally been a regolith breccia, but the textural homogeneity of the rock and the absence of solar wind—derived noble gases preclude a regolith‐breccia precursor. Warren et al. classified the rock as an impact‐melt breccia, but they did not identify any fraction that was impact melt.