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Chicxulub impact basin: Gravity characteristics and implications for basin morphology and deep structureThe K-T-aged Chicxulub Impact Structure is buried beneath the Tertiary carbonate rocks of the Northern Yucatan Platform. Consequently its morphology and structure are poorly understood. Reprocessed Bouguer (onshore) and Free Air (offshore) gravity data over Northern Yucatan reveal that Chicxulub may be a 200-km-diameter multi-ring impact basin with at least three concentric basin rings. The positions of these rings follow the square root of 2 spacing rule derived empirically from analysis of multi-ring basins on other planets indicating that these rings probably correspond to now-buried topographic basin rings. A forward model of the gravity data along a radial transect from the southwest margin of the structure indicates that the Chicxulub gravity signature is compatible with this interpretation. We estimate the basin rim diameter to be 204 +/- 16 km and the central peak ring diameter (D) is 104 +/- 6 km.
Document ID
19940016284
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Sharpton, Virgil L.
(Lunar and Planetary Inst. Houston, TX, United States)
Burke, Kevin
(Houston Univ. TX., United States)
Hall, Stuart A.
(Houston Univ. TX., United States)
Lee, Scott
(Lunar and Planetary Inst. Houston, TX, United States)
Marin, Luis E.
(Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Mexico City., United States)
Suarez, Gerardo
(Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Mexico City., United States)
Quezada-Muneton, Juan Manuel
(Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Mexico City., United States)
Urrutia-Fucugauchi, Jaime
(Gerencia de Exploracion Petroleos Mexicanos, Mexico City., United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: Twenty-Fourth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Part 3: N-Z
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
94N20757
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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