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Confirmed impact structures

This list of impact structures in Africa includes all 20 confirmed impact craters as listed in the Earth Impact Database. These features were caused by the collision of large meteorites or comets with the Earth. For eroded or buried craters, the stated diameter typically refers to an estimate of original rim diameter, and may not correspond to present surface features.

NameLocation Diameter(km) Age (years)CoordinatesAgoudalCHENNAOUI AOUDJEHANE, H., EL KERNI, H., REIMOLD, W., BARATOUX, D., KOEBERL, C., BOULEY, S., and AOUDJEHANE, M. (2016). "The Agoudal (High Atlas Mountains, Morocco) shatter cone conundrum: A recent meteorite fall onto the remnant of an impact site". Meteoritics & Planetary Science, pp.1-22, 2016.Morocco3?105 ka?AmguidAlgeria0.45< 100,000 AoroungaChad12.6< 345 million AouelloulMauritania0.393.0 ± 0.3 million BPLibya2< 120 million BosumtwiGhana10.51.07 million Gweni-FadaChad14< 345 million KalkkopSouth Africa0.640.25 million KamilEgypt0.045< 2000 KgagodiBotswana3.5< 180 million LuiziDRC17< 575 million MorokwengSouth Africa70145.0 ± 0.8 million NadirGuinea9.266 million OasisLibya18< 120 million OuarkzizAlgeria3.5< 70 million Roter KammNamibia2.53.7 ± 0.3 million TalemzaneAlgeria1.75< 3 million TenoumerMauritania1.91.57 ± 0.14 million Tin BiderAlgeria6< 70 million Tswaing(previously Pretoria Saltpan)South Africa1.130.220 ± 0.052 million VredefortSouth Africa3002023 ± 4 million

Unconfirmed impact structures

The following craters are officially considered "unconfirmed" because they are not listed in the Earth Impact Database. Due to stringent requirements regarding evidence and peer-reviewed publication, newly discovered craters or those with difficulty collecting evidence generally are known for some time before becoming listed. However, entries on the unconfirmed list could still have an impact origin disproven.

NameLocationDiameterAgeCoordinatesKebiraGilf Kebir region, Egypt31 km100 millionTemimichatMauritania0.75 km unknownWembo-Nyama ring structureDR Congo36–46 km (est.)60 millionMahasNew Desert Crater Found Using Google Maps and Free SoftwareNorthern, Sudan2.85 kmUnknownCircular feature with clear ca. rim 300 m above ground level centred around the hamlet of BawBlue Nile State5 kmUnknownCircular Feature North-Central Niger10 kmUnknown21°21′14.56″N 9° 8′32.24″EVélingara circular structureS. Wade, M. Barbieri, J. Lichtenegger (2001) The Velingara Circular Structure Esa Bulletin June 2001Kolda Region, Senegal48 kmUnknown

Notes Mahas was anonymously added Jan 2015, but the coordinates do show a convincing impact-like structure.

See also

Impact craters Impact events Bolides and Meteorites Earth Impact Database – primary source Traces of Catastrophe book from Lunar and Planetary Institute - comprehensive reference on impact crater science

References

External links Africa Impact Craters, Earth Impact Database – List of confirmed earth impact sites at the Planetary and Space Science Centre, University of New Brunswick Impact Database (formerly Suspected Earth Impact Sites list) maintained by David Rajmon for Impact Field Studies Group, USA