* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Upheaval Dome

Blobrana · L

UPHEAVAL DOME: CONFIRMATION OF IMPACT ORIGIN
In March 2008, Thomas Kenkmann, a geologist with Humboldt University in Berlin (after six years of research), and Elmar Buchner of the University of Stugggart, provided conclusive evidence that the Upheaval Dome, an impact-shaped feature in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, was caused by a meteor strike. Buchner and Kenkmann located planar deformation features (PDFs) in quartz crystals embedded in the outer sandstone ring of this two ring crater. PDFs are microscopic fractures in quartz crystals that correlate with the intensity of a shock impact experienced by the crystal. These PDFs evidence a shock wave greater than 10 gigapascals travelled through Upheaval's sandstone outer ring, unambiguously showing a shock generated wave of non-terrestrial origin. The feature that we see today is not the original 170 million year old impact crater. The original crater was around 8 kilometres in diameter and extended between 1 and 2 kilometres above the south rim view area shown here.

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Blobrana · L

One of the longest-running mysteries in the U.S. National Parks has been solved: The crater-like Upheaval Dome in Utah's Canyonlands National Park was caused by a meteor impact, say German researchers.
For decades geologists have debated whether the picturesque "Sphinx of Geology," viewed by millions of park visitors, was created by a volcanic outburst, an eruption of salt or a meteor impact. Then a crucial clue was discovered: "shocked quartz," which can be created only by the intense pressures of a violent meteor impact.

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Blobrana · L

Upheaval Dome is an impact crater in Canyonlands National Park, near the town Moab (Utah, United States).
It is 10 km in diameter and the crater is estimated to be less than 170 million years old (Jurassic or younger). The crater is clearly visible on the surface as bright brown and black coloured concentric rings.

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This 60 million year old meteor crater is a perfect model of an impact basin, something any lunar observer familiar with basins like Orientale or Nectaris should recognise. It has a central peak, terracing in the walls, and concentric rings around it. The inner crater (the smooth red wall across the chasm) is about two miles away. The outer shock rings are much bigger.

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Upheaval Dome is one of the most interesting geologic formations in Utah. At first glance the unusual circular structure appears to be a large crater, but geologically it more closely resembles an ancient dome. The strange formation consists of a huge circular pit, about a mile in diameter and 1,100 feet deep, surrounded by concentric rings of uplifted rock that were originally several thousand feet under the ground.

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Latitude: 38.43523 °N, Longitude: -109.92941 °W

MDRS Video Training Log - February 28, 2007

-- Edited by Blobrana at 18:08, 2007-03-25