Tunnunik impact structure

Tunnunik impact structure
Prince Albert impact crater
Map of the Northwest Territories in Canada, showing where the Tunnunik impact crater is located.
Map of the Northwest Territories in Canada, showing where the Tunnunik impact crater is located.
Tunnunik impact structure
Location of the Tunnunik Impact Crater in the Northwest Territories
Map of the Northwest Territories in Canada, showing where the Tunnunik impact crater is located.
Map of the Northwest Territories in Canada, showing where the Tunnunik impact crater is located.
Tunnunik impact structure
Tunnunik impact structure (Canada)
Impact crater/structure
ConfidenceConfirmed
Diameter~25 km (16 mi)
Age~450–430 million years
ExposedYes
Location
LocationPrince Albert Peninsula
Coordinates72°28′N 113°56′W / 72.467°N 113.933°W / 72.467; -113.933
CountryCanada
ProvinceNorthwest Territories

The Tunnunik impact structure, formerly known as the Prince Albert Impact Crater, is a recently confirmed meteorite impact structure.[1] It is located on Prince Albert Peninsula in the northwestern part of Victoria Island[A] in Canada's Northwest Territories.[2]

The 25 km (16 mi) wide structure was discovered in 2010 by Brian Pratt, professor of geology at the University of Saskatchewan, and Keith Dewing of the Geological Survey of Canada during an aerial survey of the region.[3] The structure is estimated to have formed between 450 and 430 million years ago, during the Ordovician period, based mainly on paleomagnetic analysis.[4] It is estimated that it was created when a meteor a few kilometres in diameter struck the Earth.[5] The desert-like landscape of impact structure like Tunnunik can be useful in understanding the geology of other rocky planets such as Mars.[6]

It is Canada's 30th known meteorite impact feature.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Tunnunik - Earth Impact Database was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference U of S Press Release was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference TorStar2012-07-27 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Lepaulard, C.; Gattacceca, J.; Swanson-Hysell, N.; Quesnel, Y.; Demory, F.; Osonski, G.R. (2019). "A Paleozoic age for the Tunnunik impact structure". Meteoritics & Planetary Science. 54 (4): 740–751. doi:10.1111/maps.13239.
  5. ^ Dewing, K.; Pratt, B.R.; Hadlari, T.; Brent, T.; Bédard, J.; Rainbird, R.H. (2013). "Newly identified "Tunnunik" impact structure, Prince Albert Peninsula, northwestern Victoria Island, Arctic Canada". Meteoritics & Planetary Science. 48 (2): 211–223. doi:10.1111/maps.12052.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference mars was invoked but never defined (see the help page).