Veevers crater

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The Veevers Crater is an impact crater that is located in the flat desert area between the Great Sandy Desert and Gibson Desert in the middle of Western Australia in Australia. It is known as one of the best-preserved small impact crater on earth.

Discovery

The area is very remote and difficult to reach. Was discovered in the crater during the government of a geological expedition in honor of the Australian geologist John James in July 1975 Veevers, who worked in this area until the 1950s. At the time of discovery of the geological phenomenon could not be scientifically proven as a meteorite impact. Only the discovery of fragments of iron meteorites around the crater by Eugene Merle Shoemaker and Carolyn S. Shoemaker in 1984 removed any doubt.

Description

The crater has a symmetrical arc-shaped topography and is one of the best preserved small crater on Earth. The 20 meter wide rim rises about 1.5 meters above the plain. Since the lowest point is 7 meters lower than the edge of the rim in the center of the impact, the crater has a diameter of about 70 meters. Due to the found cosmic isotopes of the crater could be dated: It is less than 20,000 years old, and because of the impeccable conservation status of astrogeological material is assumed that he could not even be 4000 years old.

The fragments of the iron meteorite that has been collected around the crater were classified as rough Oktaedrite that were classified in the chemical class II. The fragments evidenced by their significant impacts that they are caused by an impact explosion. It is believed that the meteorite had a weight of 100 to 1000 tons, probably closer to the upper value. His remains are now distributed as fragments in the crater, in breccias and ejecta.

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