Kara - Hypervelocity Impact Crater

Alternate Names
Local Language
Coordinates 69° 3' 35" N; 64° 23' 42" E
Notes
  1. Near the mouth of the Kara River, 200 km N of the city of Vorkuta, in the extreme NE of the European part Russia.
Country Russia
Region Nenets
Date Confirmed 1976
Notes
  1. Shatter cones, PDFs in quartz, and diaplectic quartz and plagioclase documented (Masaitis, 1976).
Buried? Yes
Notes
  1. An almost continuous blanket of up to 150 m of unconsolidated Pliocene-Quaternary sediments covers the complex (Masaitis et al., 1980).
Drilled? Yes
Notes
  1. 30 boreholes, ranging in depth from 300 to 700 m, penetrate undifferentiated Palaeogene deposits, suevites, brecciated sediments and crystalline rocks of the central uplift (Masaitis et al., 1994).
Target Type Mixed
Notes
  1. Ordovician to Permian siltstones, sandstones and carbonate rocks (Maslov, 1977) and Upper Proterozoic metasedimentary and volcanic formations (Masaitis et al., 1980). Suggestion of a sea over the area at the time of impact (Nazarov et al., 1991).
Sub-Type Carbonate, Sandstone, Siltstone, Volcanics
Apparent Crater Diameter (km) 65 km
Age (Ma) 75.34 ± 0.66
Notes :
  1. 75.34 ± 0.66 Ma (2σ) determined by in situ U-Pb of impact-recrystallized zircon from impact melt rocks (Kenny et al. 2021) Previous age constraints: 70.7 ± 2.2 Ma (2σ) recalculated from 70.3 ± 2.2 Ma by (Schmieder and Kring 2020), using parameters of (Renne et al. 2010, 2011). Age determined by 40Ar/39Ar step-heating of glassy or crystalline impact melt rocks (3 plateaus) (Trieloff et al. 1998) 66.5 ± 4.2 Ma (2σ) obtained by fission track (actually reported as 62.4-70.6 Ma with probability of 0.95, 61-72 with probability of 0.99) (Kashkarov et al. 1992) 69-71 Ma obtained by 40Ar/39Ar analysis of impact melt rocks (Trieloff and Jessberger, 1992) 71-75 Ma by 40Ar/39Ar step-heating of impact melt rocks (Koeberl et al., 1990). 65-74.5 Ma based on biostratigraphical constraints (Alekseev et al. 1989) 66 Ma based on K-Ar analysis of impact melt rocks (Nazarov et al., 1989) 66.1 ± 0.8 Ma obtained by K-Ar of impact glass from both Kara and Ust-Kara (Kolesnikov et al. 1988) See also: [Masaitis & Mashchak 1982, Badjukov et al. 1987, Kolesnikov et al. 1988, Koeberl et al. 1988, Nazarov et al. 1989b (From Koeberl et al 1990)] [Nazarov et al 1991 LPS XXII p961 from (Kashkarov et al. 1992)] [65.68 ± 0.88 (2σ) obtained by K-Ar [Kolesnikov et al 1990 LPS XXI p 649 from (Kashkarov et al. 1992)]

Method :
  1. U-Pb
Impactor Type Ordinary chondrite
Notes
  1. Ni has 3 times the concentration in the impactites than in the country rock, characteristic of a chondrite (Masaitis et al., 1980).

Advanced Data Fields

Notes

Erosion
5
  1. Rim has been removed and the crater-fill products have been only partially preserved (Maslov, 1977). >1.8 km has been eroded from the original ground plane in the southern portion (Masaitis et al., 1980).
Final Rim Diameter
Unknown
Apparent Rim Diameter
65 km
  1. (Masaitis et al., 1980). There is some controversy over relation to Ust-Kara and Kara may be 120 km (Badjukov et al., 1991).
Rim Reliability Index
2
  1. Consists of a central uplift and a peripheral trough filled with sediments (Maslov, 1977). Based on Figure 1 the SU is estimated as 2.5 km (Mashchak, 1991).
Crater Morphology
Complex
Central Uplift Diameter
10km
Central Uplift Height
2.5 km
Uplift Reliability Index
3
Structural Uplift
2.5 km
Thickness of Seds
Target Age
Precambrian Palaeozoic
Marine
No
Impactor Type
Ordinary chondrite
  1. Ni has 3 times the concentration in the impactites than in the country rock, characteristic of a chondrite (Masaitis et al., 1980).
Other Shock Metamorphism
Planar features Impact diamonds Maskelynite
  1. Thin sections of Kara rocks show the presencce of multiple sets of planar lamellae in quartz grains, with orientations typical of shock metamorphism during impact (The Kara/Ust-Kara twin impact structure...) (Koeberl et al., 1990). In the samples with traces of impact metamorphism, collected from allogenic and authigenic breccias, we have found diaplectic quartz, plagioclase, biotite, pyroxene, amphibole, and also diaplectic plagioclase glass (Masaitis, 1976). Impact diamonds formed due to transformation of coal under shock pressure about 26-30 GPa and high postshock temperature (Masaitis, 1999). Planar features in shocked quartz grains mentioned (sometimes decorated) (RESULTS; Nazaro et al., 1990). System of planar elements in quartz (Fig 5; Selivanovskaya et al., 1990). Sandstone in which each quartz grain shows several sets of planar elements (Fig 6; Selivanovskaya et al., 1990). Maskelynite (Maslov, 1977)."
Shatter Cones
Yes
  1. Shatter-coned sample found in Leningrad museum (Dietz and McHone, 1991) **see Masaitis pers. comm. Numerous suevite deposits are also present in places exposed by the rovers, often accompanied by large (up to >1 m) shatter cones (Koeberl et al., 1988). Shatter cones (up to >1 m in length) are abundant in Kara target rocks and in rock clasts within suevites (Koeberl et al., 1990). Shatter cones generally 10-20 cm long and up to 2 m long (Masaitis et al., 1994). Numerous, well-preserved shatter cones clasts occur in allogenic breccia and in suevites; very well developed shatter cones in sandstone (Masaitis, 1976) (Masaitis, 1999) (Badjukov, pers. comm., 2010). Shatter cones are observed in the deformed sequence that underlie the allogenic breccia (Fig. 4) (Masaitis, 1976). Well-preserved shatter cones (Fig. 13) (Masaitis, 1999). Rock clasts with shatter cones are found (page 442) (Mashchak, 1990). Shatter cones oriented with apices opposite the general orientation of apices of other cones (Figure 1) (Selivanovskaya et al., 1990). Two oppositely oriented shatter cones (fragments), seemingly coalescing along rear suture (Figure. 3) (Selivanovskaya et al., 1990).
Planar Fractures
No
Planar Deformation Features
Yes
  1. PDF in quartz and feldsspar (Masaitis et al., 1994).
Diaplectic Glass
Yes
  1. Maskelynite in suevites mentioned (page 235; "The Kara/Ust-Kara twin impact structure.." (Koeberl et al., 1990) Diaplectic quartz and diaplectic plagioclase glass in samples from allogenic and authigenic breccias (page 1254) (Masaitis, 1976). Diaplectic quartz and maskelynite mentioned (Shock metamorphism; Selivanovskaya et al., 1990).
Coesite
Yes
  1. Coesite was discovered in rocks from the Kara crater ("relevance to the K/T boundary...") (Koeberl et al., 1990) **see (Vishnevsky et al., 1977). Coesite is also found in the shocked rocks (Masaitis, 1999).
Stisovite
No
Crater Fill
LB, MB, M
  1. The crater-fill impactites consist of lithic breccias, melt-bearing breccias (suevites) and aphanitic melt rocks as lenses (tagamites) (Koeberl et al., 1990) (Masaitis, 1989). (Grieve and Cintala, 1992).
Proximal Ejecta
MB
Distal Ejecta
Dykes
Volume of Melt
480 km3
Depth of Melting

References

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M A Maslov (1977) On an origin of the Kara depression, Meteoritika 36, p. 123-129

L V Sazonova, N N Karotayeva, G Y Ponomarev, A I Dabizha (1981) C, Impactites, A A Marakusheva (ed.), Izd. Mosk. Univ., Moscow

T V Selivanovskaya, M S Mashchak, V A Yezerskiy, N B Reshetnyak (1982) Impactite glasses in suevites of the Kara and Ust-Kara astroblemes, Meteoritika 40, p. 122-130, Akademiya Nauk SSSR, Moscow, url

S A Vishnevskii (1987) Shatter cones and "Gries" breccia in the Kara astrobleme, Shatter cones and "Gries" breccia in the Kara Astrobleme 2599424, p. 28

A V Murali, C Koeberl, M A Nazarov, V L Sharpton, K Burke (1988) Kara and Ust-Kara impact structures, USSR: Geochemical relationship of the target rocks and ejecta, LPI Contribution 665, p. D-2, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX, url

C Koeberl, A V Murali, M A Nazarov, V L Sharpton, K Burke (1988) The Kara impact structure (USSR) and the K/T-boundary event, LPI Contribution 665, p. N-5, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX, url

C Koeberl, A V Murali, V L Sharpton, K Burke, M A Nazarov (1988) Geology and geochemistry of the Kara and Ust-Kara impact structures (USSR), Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union 69(44), p. 1293-1294, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC

C Koeberl, M A Nazarov, T M Harrison, V L Sharpton, A V Murali, K Burke (1988) The Kara and Ust-Kara impact structures (USSR) and their relevance to the K/T boundary event, LPI Contribution 673, p. 95-96, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX, url

V I Fel'dman, L V Sazonova, A V Guzhova (1988) Iron accessory minerals in impactites of the Kara astrobleme, Pai-Khoi, Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR 301(5), p. 1191-1194, Akademiya Nauk SSSR, Moscow, url

Y A Shukolukov, E M Kolesnikov, M A Nazarov, D D Badjukov, M I Korina (1988) K-Ar age of Kara impact structure: Evidence for its link with Cretaceous-Tertiary (K/T) event, Chemical Geology 70(1-2), Yan Bottinga (ed.), p. 121, Elsevier, Amsterdam

M A Nazarov, D D Badjukov, A S Alekseyev (1989) Morphology of the Kara and Ust-Kara impact craters, USSR, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 20, Part 2, p. 762-763, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

D D Badjukov, M A Nazarov, I V Suponeva (1989) Impact glasses from the Kara and Ust-Kara structures, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 20, Part 1, p. 36-37, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

D D Badjukov, M L Bazhenov, M A Nazarov (1989) Paleomagnetism of impactites of the Kara impact crater: Preliminary results, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 20, Part 1, p. 34-35, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M A Nazarov, L D Barsukova, D D Badjukov, G M Kolesov, I V Nizhegorodova, A S Alekseyev (1989) Geology and chemistry of the Kara and Ust-Kara impact craters, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 20, Part 2, p. 764-765, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M A Nazarov, D D Badjukov, E M Kolesnikov, L D Barsukova, G M Kolesov, C Koeberl (1989) Geology, geochemistry and geochronology of the Kara impact structure, LPI Contribution 712, p. 171, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX, url

V L Masaitis, M S Mashchak, T V Selivanovskaya (1989) Parameters of excavation and melting zones of Kara Crater, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 20, Part 2, p. 622-623, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

A S Alekseyev, S B Smirnova, M A Mazarov, D D Badjukov (1989) Paleontological age of the Kara impact event, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 20, Part 1, p. 5-6, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

C Koeberl, V L Sharpton, A V Murali, K Burke (1990) Kara and Ust-Kara impact structures (USSR) and their relevance to the K/T boundary event, Geology (Boulder) 18(1), p. 50-53, Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, url, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1990)018<0050:KAUKIS>2.3.CO;2

C Koeberl, V L Sharpton, T M Harrison, D Sandwell, A V Murali, K Burke (1990) The Kara/Ust-Kara twin impact structure: A large-scale impact event in the Late Cretaceous, Special Paper - Geological Society of America 247, p. 233-238, Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, pdf, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/SPE247-p233

M A Nazarov, L D Barsukova, D D Badjukov, G M Kolesov, I V Nizhegorodova (1990) The Kara impact structure: Iridium abundances in the crater rocks, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 21, p. 849-850, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

E M Kolesnikov, M A Nazarov, D D Badjukov, M I Korina, M I Smolyar, V L Myasnikova, A S Alekseyev, Y A Shukolyukov (1990) K-Ar age of Kara craters and their relation to the Cretaceous-Paleogene impact event, Geokhimiya 1990(4), p. 495-505, Rossiyskaya Akademiya Nauk, Moscow, url

E M Kolesnikov, M A Nazarov, D D Badjukov, M I Korina, M I Smolyar, V L Myasnikova, A S Alekseyev, Y A Shukolyukov (1990) The K-Ar age of the Kara craters and their relationship to the Cretaceous-Paleogene impact, Geochemistry International 27(11), p. 27-35, MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica Publishing, Birmingham, AL, url

G V Selivanovskaya, M S Mashchak, V L Masaytis (1990) Impact breccia and impactites of Kara and Ust-Kara astroblemes, Impact craters of Mesozoic-Cenozoic boundary; a collection of papers, V L Masaytis (ed.), Izd. Nauka, Leningr. Otd., Leningrad, url

G Y Ponomarev, I F Markitantov (1991) New data on the structure of the Kara and Ust'-Kara astroblemes, Pai-Khoi, Byulleten' Moskovskogo Obshchestva Ispytateley Prirody, Otdel Geologicheskiy 66(1), p. 24-29, Izdatel'stvo Moskovskogo Universiteta, Moscow

M A Nazarov, A L Devirts, Y P Lagutina, A S Alekseyev, D D Badjukov, Y A Shukolyukov (1991) The Kara impact structure: Hydrogen isotopic composition in the impact melts and constraints on the impact age, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 22, p. 961-962, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M A Nazarov, D D Badjukov, L D Barsukova, A S Alekseyev (1991) Reconstruction of original morphology of the Kara impact structure and its relevance to the Kara impact structure and its relevance to the K/T boundary event, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 22, p. 959-960, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M S Mashchak (1991) Morphology and structure of the Kara and Ust'-Kara astroblemes, International Geology Review 33(5), p. 433-447, Winston & Son, Silver Spring, MD, url

M S Mashchak (1991) Geologic setting in Kara and Ust'-Kara at the time of formation of the impact craters, International Geology Review 33(5), p. 423-432, Winston & Son, Silver Spring, MD, url

T V Selivanovskaya, M S Mashchak, V L Masaytis (1991) Impact breccias and impactites of the Kara and Ust'-Kara astroblemes, International Geology Review 33(5), p. 448-477, Winston & Son, Silver Spring, MD, url

D D Badjukov, M A Nazarov, L D Barsukova (1991) Chemistry of the Kara impact structure: Characteristics of impact melting and excavation, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 22, p. 43-44, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M Trieloff, E K Jessberger, B O Dressler, V L Sharpton (1992) 40Ar-39Ar ages of the large impact structures Kara and Manicouagan and their relevance to the Cretaceous-Tertiary and the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, LPI Contribution 790, p. 74-75, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX, url

L L Kashkarov, M A Nazarov, I V Suponeva (1992) Fission track dating of the Kara impact structure, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 23, p. 667-668, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M A Nazarov, D D Badjukov, A S Alekseyev (1992) The Kara structure as a possible K/T impact site, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 23, p. 969-970, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M A Nazarov, D D Badjukov, L D Barsukova, N N Kononkova, T V Romasheva (1992) Chemical relationship between Kara crater rocks and K/T glasses, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 23, p. 971-972, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M A Nazarov, S F Karpenko, A V Ljalikov, M I Smolyar, E M Kolesnikov, L D Barsukova (1992) The Kara impact structure: Nd-Sr isotopic composition of an impact melt, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 23, p. 973-974, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M A Nazarov, D D Badjukov, A S Alekseyev, E M Kolesnikov, L L Kashkarov, L D Barsukova, I V Suponeva, G M Kolesov (1993) Kara impact structure and its relationship to Cretaceous-Paleogene events, Byulleten' Moskovskogo Obshchestva Ispytateley Prirody, Otdel Geologicheskiy 68(3), p. 13-32, Izdatel'stvo Moskovskogo Universiteta, Moscow

L L Kashkarov, M A Nazarov, N N Kononkova (1994) Fission-track age of the Kara impact structure, Geokhimiya 1994(7), p. 928-936, Rossiyskaya Akademiya Nauk, Moscow

L L Kashkarov, M A Nazarov, N N Kononkova (1995) Track age of the Kara impact structure, Geochemistry International 32(2), p. 13-22, MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica Publishing, Birmingham, AL

R Skala (1997) X-ray diffraction study of three calcite-rich samples from the Kara structure, LPI Contribution 922, p. 55-56, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX, url

M Trieloff, A Deutsch, E K Jessberger (1998) The age of the Kara impact structure, Russia, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 33(2), p. 361-372, Meteoritical Society, Fayetteville, AR, url

R Skala, P Jakes (1999) Shock-induced effects in natural calcite-rich targets as revealed by X-ray powder diffraction, Special Paper - Geological Society of America 339, Burkhard O Dressler, Virgil L Sharpton (ed.), p. 205-214, Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, url

N Yushkin, A Lysyuk, D D Badjukov, I Raytala, S Ploskova (2001) Realities and mysteries of Kara crater, Vestnik Instituta Geologii (Rossiyskaya Akademiya Nauk, Ural'skoye Otdeleniye, Komi Nauchnyy Tsentr) 2001(8), p. 11-24, Rossiyskaya Akademiya Nauk, Ural'skoye Otdeleniye, Komi Nauchnyy Tsentr, Syktyvkar

C E Angerman, S J Gaddis, E Widom, J M Hughes (2001) Origin of the Serpent Mound cryptoexplosion structure: Evidence from X-ray diffraction studies, Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America 33(4), p. 50, Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO

M V Naumov, J Plado, L J Pesonen (2002) Impact-generated hydrothermal systems: Data from Popigai, Kara, and Puchezh-Katunki impact structures, 4th IMPACT programme workshop on Meteorite impacts in Precambrian shields, Christian Koeberl (ed.), Springer, Berlin, url

A Y Lysiuk, I Parsons (2002) Glasses of Kara Depression: Structure and composition, Abstracts of the ... General Meeting of the International Mineralogical Association 18, p. 203, International Mineralogical Association, [location varies]

D D Badjukov, J Raitala, T Öhman, C A Lorenz (2002) The Kara crater size: Suevite layer outside the crater depression, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 33, p. 0-Abstract 1480, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

T Oehman, V P Kostama, M Aittola, J Raitala, D D Badjukov (2002) Martian analogues for Kara impact structure, Russia, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 33, p. 0-Abstract 1270, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

T Öhman, J Raitala, D D Badjukov, C Lorenz, P H Warren (2002) Preliminary studies of the Syadmayakha suevites from Kara crater, Russia, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 37(7, Suppl.), p. 112, Meteoritical Society, Fayetteville, AR, url

T Öhman, K Lorenz, L J Pesonen, D D Badjukov, J Raitala, S Elo, K Ojala, B O Dressler (2003) Kara impact structure, Russia: Recent developments in petrophysical and geochemical studies, LPI Contribution 1167, p. 0-Abstract 4071, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX, pdf

J Raitala, K Ojala, T Öhman, D D Badjukov, C A Lorenz (2003) Kara crater by remote sensing, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 34, p. 0-abstr. no. 1057, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M V Naumov (2012) Sulfide mineralization in the Kara impact structure, Russia, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 43, p. 0-Abstract 1313, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

G G Kenny, T Öhman, M J Whitehouse, J Raitala (2021) Zircon U-Pb dating of the Kara impact structure, Russia, indicates no role in Late Cretaceous mass extinctions, pdf