Tswaing crater

Tswaing crater
Tswaing crater as seen from above
Impact crater/structure
ConfidenceConfirmed
Diameter1.13 km (0.70 mi)
Depth100 m (330 ft)
Impactor diameter30 to 50 m (98 to 164 ft)
Age220 ± 52 Ka
Location
Coordinates25°24′32″S 28°4′58″E / 25.40889°S 28.08278°E / -25.40889; 28.08278
CountrySouth Africa
Tswaing crater is located in South Africa
Tswaing crater
Tswaing crater
Asteroid impact location in Africa
Tswaing crater is located in Gauteng
Tswaing crater
Tswaing crater
Tswaing crater (Gauteng)
Tswaing crater is located in Africa
Tswaing crater
Tswaing crater
Tswaing crater (Africa)
Memorial to Eugene Merle Shoemaker who showed that craters such as Tswaing are formed by impact.

Tswaing (Tswana for "place of salt"[1]) is an impact crater enclosed by a 1,946 ha nature reserve, situated in northern Gauteng province, South Africa. The crater and reserve are situated on a base of ancient granite of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, some 40 km to the north-northwest of Pretoria (just north of Soshanguve).[1] This astrobleme is 1.13 km in diameter[1] and 100 m deep[2] and its age is estimated to be 220,000 ± 52,000 years (Pleistocene).[3] The impactor is believed to have been a chondrite or stony meteorite some 30 to 50 m in diameter that was vaporised during the impact event.[3][4] Morokweng impact structure, another South African crater of chondrite origin, lies north-west of Vryburg. Since 1996 it falls under the auspices of Ditsong Museums of South Africa.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d Koeberl, Christian (1999). "An impact crater for the people: The Tswaing (Saltpan)crater, South Africa". Meteoritics & Planetary Science. 34 (6). NASA Astrophysics Data System: 827–828. Bibcode:1999M&PS...34..827K. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1999.tb01399.x. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  2. ^ Reimold, W.U. (1998-04-27). "Meteorites and Meteorite Craters". South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO). Retrieved 2008-08-23.
  3. ^ a b "Tswaing and its environmental effects". Lunar and Planetary Institute. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
  4. ^ "Tswaing". Earth Impact Database. Planetary and Space Science Centre University of New Brunswick Fredericton. Retrieved 2009-08-16.