Geologists typically characterise Earth’s impact craters as one of two kinds: simple or complex. Simple craters are relatively small and bowl-shaped, while complex craters are relatively large with central uplifts and slumped rims. Goat Paddock crater, located on the Kimberley plateau of north-west Australia, appears to straddle the simple-complex category. Spanning roughly five kilometres, it has a slightly elliptical shape. The crater is likely less than 50m years old, but the impact bored into sandstones is well over 500m years old. Neither bowl-shaped nor uplifted, the surface of the crater is flat and much of the rim slumps inward
Photograph: NASA
The Guardian
Comments