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Chapter 7: Problem 13

What is one piece of evidence that impact craters are actually caused by impacts?

Short Answer

Expert verified
One piece of evidence that impact craters are actually caused by impacts is the presence of minerals or rocks such as 'shocked quartz', that are formed only under intense pressure created by an impact, in or near the impact crater. The unique planar deformation features exhibited by the shocked quartz under the microscope is definitive proof of an impact.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Impact Craters

Impact craters are geological formations that appear when an asteroid, meteor, or similar objects from space strike a planet's surface. They are typically round, with raised rims and floors that sink lower than the surrounding terrain.
02

Identify Evidence of Impact

An evidence of impact craters being caused by impacts can be the presence of minerals or rocks that are found only in extreme high-pressure situations such as those created by an impact. For example, 'shocked quartz' is a type of quartz that has undergone a sudden and intense pressure, it exhibits a unique criss-cross pattern under the microscope, known as 'planar deformation features', which is definitive proof of an impact. This wouldn't form under normal earth surface pressure.
03

Link Evidence with Impact Craters

If such minerals or rocks (like shocked quartz) are found in or near the impact craters, it suggests that the crater was created by an impact. This is because the extreme pressures required to form these minerals or rocks can only be generated by the instantaneous release of energy in an asteroid or meteorite impact. Therefore, their presence is a strong piece of evidence that impact craters are indeed caused by impacts.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Shocked Quartz
Shocked quartz is a fascinating mineral that serves as a crucial piece of evidence for identifying impact craters. When a meteor or asteroid slams into the Earth at high velocity, the energy release is incredible. This creates intense heat and pressure, conditions under which shocked quartz forms. Unlike regular quartz, shocked quartz has distinctive features:

  • It often contains microscopic lines, making a criss-cross pattern known as planar deformation features.
  • Shocked quartz only forms under extreme pressure, much higher than normal geological processes on Earth can achieve.
  • These unique features make it a clear indicator of an impact event, as such pressures are akin to what might occur during a massive explosion.
Finding shocked quartz in or near a crater is like finding a fingerprint, telling scientists that a cosmic collision took place. Its presence is one of the best clues geologists use to confirm that a crater was, indeed, formed by an impact from space.
Planar Deformation Features
Planar deformation features (PDFs) are unique, microscopic features seen in minerals like quartz. They are formed only under the extreme conditions of a high-energy impact event, such as a meteorite strike. Here鈥檚 why they are significant:

  • PDFs are straight, narrow bands that intersect within the crystal structure of quartz at distinct angles.
  • They disrupt the crystal lattice, creating the characteristic pattern seen in shocked quartz.
  • PDFs don't appear during Earth's standard geological processes, like tectonic activity or volcanic events.
These features provide definitive proof of an impact. Scientists view them as a smoking gun, confirming that a high-pressure event, such as an asteroid impact, created a crater. The presence of planar deformation features can help differentiate between craters formed by impacts and those created by other geological processes.
Geological Formations
Geological formations involve the shape and arrangement of rocks and other surface features over time. Impact craters are a type of geological formation characterized by specific structural features. Understanding these formations provides insights into planetary history.

Impact craters demonstrate some key attributes:

  • They typically appear with a circular shape due to the high-speed radial energy dispersion from the impact.
  • They often have a raised outer rim and a depressed center, sometimes featuring a central peak from the rebound of the impacted surface.
  • The age of geological formations can be determined by examining which rock layers they disrupt, offering clues about the timing of an impact event.
By studying impact craters and their geological context, scientists learn not only about Earth's past but also gain clues about the history of other planets and moons in the solar system. Geological formations act like historical records, preserved in rock.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

. In what ways is Pluto similar to a terrestrial planet? In what ways is it different?

Use the Deep Space Explorer \({ }^{T M}\) program to examine the Jovian planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. In the left-hand part of the window, under the heading Solar System select Explore. Then click on the name of each planet to view it in detail. You can zoom in and zoom out using the buttons at the upper left of the window (an upward-pointing triangle and a downward- pointing triangle). You can also rotate the planet by putting the mouse cursor over the image of the planet or asteroid, holding down the mouse button, and moving the mouse. (On a two-button mouse, hold down the left mouse button.) Describe each planet's appearance. Which has the greatest color contrast in its cloudtops? Which has the least color contrast? What can you say about the thickness of Saturn's rings compared to their diameter?

Why are hydrogen and helium abundant in the atmospheres of the Jovian planets but present in only small amounts in the Earth's atmosphere?

What is liquid metallic hydrogen? Why is it found only in the interiors of certain planets?

How is the magnetic field of a planet different from that of a bar magnet? Why is a large planet more likely to have a magnetic field than a small planet?
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