Crater of Steinheimer Becken. Diameter 3,8 km. Depth origenal crater ca 250 m. Diameter meteorite 150 m; no remnants are found. There is a central hill. Impact 15 miljon years ago.
Impression of the Steinheim crater
The layers are shifted some 20 degree at the crater border.
These limestone layers are shifted but undamaged.
4 These lime stone layers are crumbled, relocated and physically changed.
The crumbled limestone.
A jet cone of limestone in the museum. Formed by the enormous pressure and temperature.
6 The central hill in the impact crater
7 From the central hill with view on the crater ridge.
The village Steinheim at the bottom of the crater.
The crater of the Ries is much larger and so more hidden in the landscape.
The edge of the crater is on some distance of the tower of Nordlingen.
Nördlinger Ries Crater: Diameter ca 24 km, Depth origenal crater is ca 1200 m. diameter meteorite is ca 1000 m, achondrite . Impact 15 miljon years ago.
The limestone layers here at the Ried are turned some 45 degrees at the impact in a few seconds.
This boulder of several thousands of tons was removed tens of kilometers outside the crater.
The boulder.
On this survace deep scratches arose by the rapid displacement of huge stones.
The layer with the scratches and above it the breccia of the impact.
The lime stone breccia.
Under the breccia, a mixture of various stones, replaced in solid form in a few seconds. Above the suavite, the impact ‘tuff’ which felt down as ‘ash’ in a few hours.
The red suavite
Piece of Suavite
Moon stone
The suavite (impact tuff) of which the church was built is no more mined up now.
Moldavite from Czechia. This tectite was in liquid form expelled at the impact and than replaced over some 400 km.
Barringer Crater, Arizona. 50000 year BP, 1,2 km diameter, Meteorite ca 50m, type IAB.