Roter Kamm crater

Roter Kamm
Crater location in the Karas region of southern Namibia

Roter Kamm (German: Red Ridge) is a meteorite crater, located within the Namibian section of the Namib Desert approximately 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Oranjemund in the ǁKaras Region. It is 2.5 km in diameter and is 130 metres (430 ft) deep. The age is estimated to be between 4 and 5 million years placing it in the Pliocene.[1] The crater is exposed at the surface, but its original floor is covered by sand deposits at least 100 metres (330 ft) thick.

The meteorite hit a layer of precambrian granitic gneiss that is part of the Namaqua Metamorphic Complex, overlaid with some younger sedimentary rocks. No parts of the meteorite have been found, suggesting that it completely evaporated upon impact.[2] The meteor that hit it was approximately the size of an SUV.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Lutz Hecht, Wolf Uwe Reimold, Sarah Sherlock, Roald Tagle, Christian Koeberl, Ralf-Thomas Schmitt. New impact-melt rock from the Roter Kamm impact structure, Namibia: Further constraints on impact age, melt rock chemistry, and projectile composition. Meteoritics & Planetary Science. Volume 43, Issue 7, pages 1201–1218, July 2008.
  2. ↑ "Roter Kamm crater". Wondermondo.
  3. ↑ "Roter Kamm". Earth Impact Database. University of New Brunswick. Retrieved 2009-08-16.

Gallery

Coordinates: 27°46′0″S 16°17′20″E / 27.76667°S 16.28889°E / -27.76667; 16.28889


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