Sedan Nuclear Explosion Ejecta Deposits and Shock Metamorphism
A report about the physical characteristics of the ejecta blanket
and crater rim deformation of the Sedan nuclear explosion crater
is available online. This reports describes one of a number of
nuclear explosion, which provided data that proved useful in the
interpretation of prehistoric extraterrestrial impact carters.
The report is:
Carlson, R. H., and W. A. Roberts, 1963, Mass Distribution and
Throwout Studies Project Sedan. Report no. PNE-217F, U.S.
Atomic Energy Commission, Plowshare Program and The
Boeing Company Seattle, Washington.
PDF file at http://dodreports.com/pdf/ada437925.pdf
http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/product.biblio.jsp?osti_id=4667168
http://www.scribd.com/doc/47290437/pne-217-Sedan
Related report and papers:
Vortman, L. J., 1967, Maximum missile ranges from surface and
buried explosions. report no. SC-RR--67-616, Sandia Corp.,
Albuquerque, N. Mexico.
PDF file at http://dodreports.com/ada396331
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA396331&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf
Henny, R. W., and R. H. Carlson, 1968, Distribution of natural missiles
from cratering explosions in hard rock. Annals of the New York
Academy of Sciences. vol. 152, no 1, pp. 404–431.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1968.tb11990.x/abstract
Wohletz, K. H., 1998, Chapter 7 Pyroclastic Surges and Compressible
Two-Phase Flow, in A. Freundt and M. Rosi, eds., pp. 247-312,
From Magma to Tephra. Elsevier, New York.
PDF file: http://www.ees1.lanl.gov/Wohletz/Pyroclastic%20Surges.pdf
In was in debris from the Sedan nuclear explosion crater that
manmade shocked quartz was found as described in the below
papers and reports.
Online report about Sedan test shock metamorphism
Short, N. M., 1969, Progressive shock metamorphism of quartzite
ejecta from SEDAN nuclear explosion crater. NASA-TM-X-63778,
Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, 92 pp.
PDF file:
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19700005328&qs=Ns%3DPublication-Date|0%26N%3D4294798519
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19700005328_1970005328.pdf
Papers
Cordier, P., and A. J. Gratz, 1995, TEM study of shock metamorphism
in quartz from the Sedan nuclear test site. Earth and Planetary
Science Letters. vol. 129, no. 1-4, pp. 163-170.
Short, N.M., 1970. Progressive shock metamorphism of quartzite
ejecta from the Sedan nuclear explosion crater. Journal of Geology,
vol. 78, no. 6, pp. 705-732 http://www.jstor.org/pss/30067899
Sedan nuclear test web pages
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedan_(nuclear_test)
http://www.onlinenevada.org/sedan_crater
http://www.allaroundnevada.com/?p=29
Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1o38Yo5OhY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssLZ4bUTDYM
Yours,
Paul H.
Evidence for Late Eocene Impact Generated Deposition, Georgia
PDF files concerning evidence for the Chesapeake bay impact
in Georgia are available online. They are:
Harris, R. S., 2003, Evidence for Impact-Generated Deposition
on the Late Eocene Shore of Georgia. unpublished M.S. thesis,
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. 116 pp.
http://www.openthesis.org/documents/Evidence-impact-generated-deposition-late-7147.html
http://ugakr.libs.uga.edu/bitstream/handle/10724/6827/harris_robert_s_200308_ms.pdf?sequence=1
Harris, R. S., M. F. Roden, P. A. Schroeder, S. M. Holland, M. S.
Duncan, and E. F. Albin, 2004, Geology. vol. 32, no. 8, p.p. 717-720
abstract - http://geology.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/32/8/717
PDF file - http://www.gly.uga.edu/Schroeder/Harris_etal_04.pdf
PDF files of the chapters of a USGS study of the Chesapeake Bay
Impact Structure can be found in:
Horton, W., Jr., D. S. Powars, and G. S. Gohn, 2005, Studies of the
Chesapeake Bay Impact Structure -- The USGS-NASA Langley
Corehole, Hampton, Virginia, and Related Coreholes and Geophysical
Surveys. Professional Paper no. 1688, United States Geological
Survey, Reston , Virginia.
PDF files at : http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/2005/1688/ak/
Yours,
Paul H.
A Cosmic Catastrophe: The Great Clovis Comet Debate
Holliday, V. T., 2011, A Cosmic Catastrophe: The Great Clovis
Comet Debate: A personal perspective on an Outrageous Hypothesis.
Department of Anthropology at the University of Arizona.
http://www.argonaut.arizona.edu/Clovis_Comet_Debate.html
Yours,
Paul H.
Papers About Kansas Meteorites, Meteorite Craters and Topographic Depressions
Dear Friends,
A short paper about the topographic depressions found
on the High Plains of Kansas has been recently published.
This paper is:
Merriam, D. F., 2011, Topographic Depressions on the
High Plains of Western Kansas. Transactions of the
Kansas Academy of Science. vol. 114, no. 1 & 2, pp. 69-76.
doi: 10.1660/062.114.0106
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1660/062.114.0106?journalCode=tkas
It notes that these depressions are likely the result of a variety
of geologic processes, including solution, infiltration, animal
activity, eolian action, and possibly even meteorite impacts.
However, he notes that because of the subsequent modification
of these depressions by surficial processes, it is impossible to
determine the origin of specific features from their size and shape
without detailed geological study.
In another paper, a new impact structure, the Edgerton impact
structure in northwestern Miami County, is proposed for Kansas.
The paper is:
Merriam, D. F., J. Xia, and J. w. Harbaugh, 2009, The Edgerton
structure: a possible meteorite impact feature in eastern
Kansas. International Journal of Geophysics. vol. 2009,
article ID 621528, 6 pages. doi: 10.1155/2009/621528, 6 pp.
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijgp/2009/621528/
PDF file for Merriam et al. (2009) is at:
http://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/ijgp/2009/621528.pdf
An earlier paper about Kansas meteorites and craters is:
Merriam, D.F . and J. W. Harbaugh, 2007, Meteorites and
meteorite-impact features in Kansas. Kansas Academy of
Science, Transactions. vol. 110, no. 4, pp. 61–68.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/20476295
Finally, some related papers by Dr. Daniel F. Merriam are:
Harbaugh, J. W., and D. F. Merriam, 2008, Topographic ellipses
in Finney and Sedgwick counties, Kansas may signal deep structures
in Precambrian basement. Transactions of the Kansas Academy
of Science. vol. 111, no. 3 & 4, pp. 269-274.
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1660/0022-8443-111.3.269
Merriam, D. F., 2005, Surface expression of buried geologic
features in Kansas. Kansas Academy of Science, Transactions.
vol. 108, no. 3 & 4, pp. 121-128.
doi: 10.1660/0022-8443(2005)108[0121:SEOBGF]2.0.CO;2
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1660/0022-8443%282005%29108%5B0121:SEOBGF%5D2.0.CO%3B2
Merriam, D. F., and C. J. Mann, 1957, Sinkholes and related
geologic features in Kansas. Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas
Academy of Science. vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 207-243.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3626855
Yours,
Paul H.
RE: 6 crater fields in central New Mexico
In “[meteorite-list] 6 crater fields in central New Mexico:
Dennis Cox: Rich Murray 2011.07.09 at
http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/meteorite-list/2011-July/078188.html
Rich Murray wrote:
“6 crater fields in central New Mexico: Dennis Cox: Rich Murray 2011.07.09
http://craterhunter.wordpress.com/
A Catastrophe of Comets
More New Mexico Craters
Rich Murray: I slightly adjusted the view locations.
They sure look like impact craters... “
No they do not look like meteorite craters. First, these featrues
lack the morphology, which would suggest that they might be
meteorite craters. The majority lack the circular or elliptical outline
that might characterize an impact crater. The majority of them
are far to irregular to be candidates for impact craters. In addition,
sinkholes can also have nice circular outlines as can be seen in
the Bottomless Lakes of Bottomless Lakes State Park about 14
miles southeast of Roswell, New Mexico.
The Bottomless Lakes are discussed at:
Bottomless Lakes State Park, New Mexico
http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/PRD/bottomless.htm
Kottlowski, F. E., 1979, Bottomless Lakes: New Mexico
Geology, vol. 1, pp. 57-58.
McLemore, V. T., 1999, Bottomless Lakes: New Mexico
Geology, vol. 21, no. 2, p. 51-55.
http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/tour/state/bottomless_lakes/home.html
Rawling, G., and D. J. McCraw, 2010, Geologic map of
the Bottomless Lakes quadrangle, Chaves County,
New Mexico. Open-file geologic map. no. 126. scale
1:24,000, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral
Resources. Socorro, New Mexico.
http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/maps/geologic/ofgm/details.cfml?Volume=126
Second, if a person looks at the regional topographic maps,
these features lack any sign of the rim that an impact crater
would typically have. Finally, geologists have looked
at these features and found them to be classic examples
of carbonate karst, which are developed in the alternating
layers of limestone and dolomite of the San Andres
Formation, which underlies this area.
What one of these sinkholes looks like near the ground
surface can be seen the web page for Fort Stanton Cave,
Lincoln County, New Mexico, at
http://www.fscsp.org/photos/entrance_aerial_view_1200.jpg
http://www.fscsp.org/
The cave is located at lat. 33.50673°, long. -105.4936248°
about 28 miles south of the above area of karst.
I have talked about these features before in:
[meteorite-list] Impact Crater in New Mexico – Part 2
Lincoln County Revisited, January 6, 2009,
http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/meteorite-list/2011-January/072231.html
A couple of web pages:
Karst
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karst
Sinkhole
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole
There might be an impact crater or few lost among all of these
sinkholes. However, distinguishing them from the sinkholes
and demonstrating that they are impact craters will take a lot
a field work. It is certainly something that will be impossible
to do simply from aerial imagery.
Rich Murray wrote:
“Ground samples may reveal evidence of blast and surface
melting and coating.”
A person can look if they want. I suspect that it such a search
will find a complete absence of any credible evidence “blast
and surface melting and coating.”
If a person wants to look for features to investigate as
possible impact craters, they can check out a reported
possible impact crater by Skotnicki (2009) within the
Lincoln 7.5 quadrangle, Lincoln County, New Mexico.
The reference is:
Skotnicki , S. J., 2009, Preliminary Geologic Map
of the Lincoln Quadrangle, Lincoln County, New
Mexico. scale: 1:24,000. Open‐file Digital Geologic
Map OF‐GM 188. New Mexico Bureau of Geology
and Mineral Resources, Socorro, New Mexico.
http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/maps/geologic/ofgm/details.cfml?Volume=18
8
http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/maps/geologic/ofgm/downloads/188/Lincoln_Rep
ort.pdf
http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/maps/geologic/ofgm/downloads/188/Lincoln_v1p
-00.pdf
Rich Murray wrote:
“69 views are in:
https://www.dropbox.com/gallery/2268163/1/CraterField?h=c40610
A Cox
34.281890 -105.139342 1.755 km area el
just S of County Road 3Ka, which comes from
10M SW of 285
and then W and N to 54, 60, 285 just W of Vaughn --
22 M S of Vaughn
75 M NNW of Roswell
many craters .01 to 0.1 km size”
No craters. Just craterwrongs in the form of sinkholes.
Rich Murray wrote:
“B Cox
34.254942 -105.117973
10 M SW of 285
many craters”
No craters. Just more sinkholes.
Rich Murray wrote:
“C Cox
34.203891 -105.058533 1.674 km area el
9 M SW of 285
.05 km wide 4 m deep”
Even more sinkholes.
Rich Murray wrote:
“D Cox
34.191197 -105.027841 1.644 km area el
8 M SW of 285
.07 km size 13 m deep”
Just another sinkhole.
Rich Murray wrote:
“E Cox
34.207906 -105.02134 1.606 km area el
7 M SW of 285
.04 km wide 3 m deep”
Just another sinkhole.
34.207906 -105.02134
“F Cox
34.210453 -105.03963 1.645 km area el
8 M SW of 285
.05 km wide 4 m deep”
More sinkholes. :-)
Best wishes,
Paul H.
The Mysterious Crestone Crater: A real meteor crater or not? (Colorado)
The Mysterious Crestone Crater: A real meteor crater or not? by Keno
The Crestone Eagle, northern San Luis Valley of Colorado, July 7, 2011,
http://crestoneeagle.com/2011/06/30/the-mysterious-crestone-crater-a-real-meteor-crater-or-not/
http://www.fr.sott.net/articles/show/230879-US-Colorado-The-Mysterious-Crestone-Crater-A-real-meteor-crater-or-not-
and
Bostick, M., 2004, [meteorite-list] NPA 12-24-1941 Colorado Men
Strike Meteor (Wrong?), Nininger. Wed Dec 29 09:30:48 EST 2004
http://meteorite-identification.com/mwnews/12241941.htm
http://www.mail-archive.com/meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com/msg28650.html
A couple of references:
Caldwell, Andrew C., 1998, An analysis and survey of possible
meteorite impact craters in Colorado. Geological Society of America
Abstract with Programs. vol. 35, no. 5, p. 41.
Marvin, U. B., and T. C. Marvin, 1960, A re-examination of the
crater near Crestone, Colorado. Meteoritics. vol. 3, no. 1, pp.1-10.
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1966Metic...3....1M
Yours,
Paul H.
Ring Structures ( Possible Impact Craters ?????) in Shortanbay area of North Caspian
For some brief speculation, without any supporting data, about
possible impact craters in the Caspian Sea area, go look at:
Ring Structures of North Caspian - Possible Hydrocarbon
Reservoirs Internet Geology News Letter No. 145, April 15, 2002
http://reocities.com/ResearchTriangle/campus/5317/L145a.html
"Seismic surveys in the Shortanbay area in the south of the North
Caspian depression have disclosed several ring structures, which
are interpreted as buried craters of possible meteorite impact
origin."
Another "ring structure" is discussed in:
Ring Structure in Basement of South Tatar arch
Internet Geology News Letter No. 126, December 3, 2001
http://reocities.com/ResearchTriangle/campus/5317/L126a.html
Yours,
Paul H.
Impact Cratering and Flood Volcanism
An interesting paper about the relationship between impact
cratering and flood volcanism is:
Sherlock, S. C., S. P. Kelley, L. Glazovskaya, and I. U. Peate,
2009, The significance of the contemporaneous Logoisk impact
structure (Belarus) and Afro-Arabian flood volcanism.
Journal of the Geological Society. vol. 166, no. 1, pp. 5-8.
http://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/166/1/5.abstract
They concluded:
"It is apparent that a 17 km diameter impact crater, peak
eruption in a large igneous province, and one of a series of
Oligocene sudden climate cooling events all occurred within
1 Ma and probably within less than 0.5 Ma."
Given the frequency of both events and length of periods
of flood volcanism, they concluded "...that contemporaneity
of impacts and flood volcanism was the norm..." during
Earth prehistory. They do not argue that there is any cause
and effect relationship between large extraterrestrial
impacts and flood volcanism. They are only concerned
with the environmental consequences of the occurrence
of a large extraterrestrial impact during a period of
flood volcanism.
Yours,
Paul H.
