Barringer - Hypervelocity Impact Crater

Alternate Names Meteor Crater
Local Language
Coordinates 35° 1' 39" N; 111° 1' 20" W
Notes
  1. N-central Arizona in the Canyon Diablo region of the southern part of the Colorado Plateau.
Country United States of America
Region Arizona
Date Confirmed 1905
Notes
  1. Iron meteorite fragments first discovered in the late 1800s, first link to, and proposed as crater by D. M. Barringer (Barringer, 1905). Shoemaker and Chao discovered coesite and stishovite in target sediments (Shoemaker, 1960) (Chao et al., 1960, 1962).
Buried? No
Notes
  1. 30 m of Holocene alluvium and playa beds and Pleistocene alluvium, lake beds and talus cover the floor (Roddy, 1978).
Drilled? Yes
Notes
  1. 161 holes, ranging from a few meters to 50 m, were drilled into 2500 m of rim and overturned rocks (Roddy, 1978). Four holes penetrated through the breccia lens from the crater floor (Shoemaker, 1959).
Target Type Sedimentary
Notes
  1. Permian to Triassic sandstones, siltstones and carbonates (Roddy, 1978).
Sub-Type Carbonate, Sandstone, Siltstone
Apparent Crater Diameter (km) Unknown
Age (Ma) 0.0611 ± 0.0048
Notes :
  1. Exposure dating using the cosmogenic nuclides 10Be and 26Al reported in 1991 were recalculated using updated methods for ejecta and rim samples (Barrows et al., 2019). Additional age constraints: Shocked sandstone and dolomite samples have mean thermoluminescent ages of 50,400 ± 2900 and 46,000 ± 3100 years, respectively (Sutton, 1985). See also (Phillips et al., 1991).

Method :
  1. Exposure dating
Impactor Type Iron, IAB
Notes
  1. The meteorite that formed Barringer (Meteor) crater is a coarse octahedrite, average composition: 92% Fe, 7% Ni with Co, P and other trace elements (Buchwald, 1975). Meteorites recovered and are called Canyon Diablo meteorites.

Advanced Data Fields

Notes

Erosion
1
  1. The crater walls, rim and ejecta have been slightly modified by wind and rain (Roddy, 1978). Ejecta blanket is mostly preserved. See also (Grant and Schultz, 1990) and (Nishizumi et al., 1991).
Final Rim Diameter
1.19 km
Apparent Rim Diameter
Unknown
  1. Present and reconstructed dimensions from (Roddy, 1978).
Rim Reliability Index
1
  1. Consists of a bowl-shaped depression with a raised rim of upturned and overturned strata (Shoemaker, 1959). Present and reconstructed dimensions from (Roddy, 1978). Uplift of 47 m is maximum in the crater walls (Roddy et al., 1975).
Crater Morphology
Simple
Central Uplift Diameter
km
Central Uplift Height
Unknown
Uplift Reliability Index
Structural Uplift
Unknown
Thickness of Seds
Target Age
Mesozoic
Marine
No
Impactor Type
Iron, IAB
  1. The meteorite that formed Barringer (Meteor) crater is a coarse octahedrite, average composition: 92% Fe, 7% Ni with Co, P and other trace elements (Buchwald, 1975). Meteorites recovered and are called Canyon Diablo meteorites.
Other Shock Metamorphism
  1. FRIGN zircon was reported in shock stage 5 Coconino sandstone (Cavosie et al. 2016). Lechatelierite in Coconino sandstone (Chao et al., 1960) (Chao et al., 1962) (Bunch and Cohen, 1964) (Kieffer, 1971) (Kieffer, 1976) (Osinski et al., 2015); shocked graphite from Kaibab limestone and Coconino sandstone (Miura, 1994).
Shatter Cones
No
  1. There is an unconfirmed report of a fragment of a poorly developed \"probable shatter cone\" (in Coconino sandstone) was collected (by C. T. Chao) from the fallout layer on the south side of the crater (Dietz, 1963).
Planar Fractures
Yes
  1. PFs are well developed (Bunch and Cohen, 1964).
Planar Deformation Features
Yes
  1. PDF in quartz grains are rare, ~<5% of the shocked qtz grains (Kieffer, 1971), also documented by (Osinski et al., 2015).
Diaplectic Glass
Yes
  1. (Kieffer, 1971) (Kieffer, 1976) (Osinski et al., 2015)
Coesite
Yes
  1. Coesite in Coconino sandstone (Chao et al., 1960) (Chao et al., 1962) (Bunch and Cohen, 1964) (Kieffer, 1971) (Miura, 1994).
Stisovite
Yes
  1. Stishovite in Coconino sandstone (Chao et al., 1960) (Chao et al., 1962) (Bunch and Cohen, 1964) (Kieffer, 1971) (Miura, 1994).
Crater Fill
LB, MB, M
  1. Carbonates (calcite is the dominant melt product). Carbonate globules in impact melts (spherules?). Impact melt breccias and other breccias in continuous (proximal) ejecta (Shoemaker, 1963) (Shoemaker and Kieffer, 1988) (Osinski et al., 2006) (Osinski et al., 2015). Distal ejecta: these are melt beads, at least 8 km away from crater (Horz, 2002) (Osinski et al., 2015). Proximal ejecta: Impact melt glass documented for the first time (Osinski et al., 2015). Melt depth: dependent on the formation the silica was sourced from; ~30 m is preffered (Horz, 2002). This has also been modelled by (Artimieva and Pierazzo, 2011) who claim >100 m, and 30-40 m is more likely. Melt volume: (melt within the crater) Could be less due to decomposision of carbonates or water saturation in target rock (Artimieva and Pierazzo, 2011).
Proximal Ejecta
LB, MB, G
Distal Ejecta
G
Dykes
Volume of Melt
0.95x10^6 m^3 - 2x10^6 m^3
Depth of Melting
<30 m or >100 m

References

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E C T Chao, Eugene M Shoemaker, B M Madsen (1960) First Natural Occurrence of Coesite, doi:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.132.3421.220

E C T Chao, J J Fahey, J Littler, D J Milton (1962) Late Letter to the Editor Stishovite, Si02, a Very High Pressure New Mineral from Meteor Crater, Arizona, Journal of Geophysical Research 67, p. 419-421, doi:https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ067i001p00419

Brandon Barringer (1964) Daniel Moreau Barringer (1860-1929) and his crater (the beginning of the crater branch of Meteoritics), Meteoritics 2(3), p. 183-199, url

Robert S Dietz (1965) Astroblemes, lunar craters, and maria, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 123, p. 895-896, New York Academy of Sciences, New York, NY, doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1965.tb20407.x

E L Krinov (1966) Giant meteorites, p. 397, Pergamon Press, Oxford

O Struve (1966) The making of the Barringer meteorite crater, Neighbors of the Earth: Planets, comets, and the debris of space, url

H H Nininger (1971) The Barringer meteorite crater, Publication: Arizona State University. Center for Meteorite Studies 9, p. 537-538, Arizona State University, Center for Meteorite Studies, Tempe, AZ

H H Nininger (1971) Symmetries and asymmetries in Barringer Crater, Arizona State University Center for Meteorite Studies 9, p. 642-644

H L Crowson (1971) A method for determining the residual meteoritical mass in the Barringer Meteor Crater, Pure and Applied Geophysics 85(2), p. 38-68, doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00875398

H H Nininger (1971) A new type of magnetometer survey at Barringer meteorite crater, Arizona State University Center for Meteorite Studies 9, p. 562-566, url

W R Kelly, E Holdsworth, C B Moore (1974) The chemical composition of metallic spheroids and metallic particles within impactite from Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 38(4), p. 533-543, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(74)90039-8

E M Shoemaker, D Roddy, C Moore, Robert S Dietz (1978) Barringer meteorite crater, Coconino County, Arizona, Special Paper: State of Arizona, Bureau of Geology and Mineral Technology 2, p. 151-159, pdf

Jon B Bryan, D E Burton (1978) Meteorite impact cratering modeled on a digital computer; some preliminary results for Barringer Crater, Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union 59(4), p. 313, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, url

Jon B Bryan (1978) Meteorite impact cratering on a digital computer: a simulation of the formation of Meteor (Barringer) Crater, Arizona, Meteoritics 13(4), p. 399-402, url

J F McHone, L P Knauth (1988) Barringer Crater stishovite: oxygen-18 rich relative to bulk target rock, Abstracts: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 19, Part 2, p. 756-757, Houston, TX, United States (USA): Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

J A Grant, P H Schultz (1989) The erosional state and style of Meteor Crater, Arizona, Abstracts: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 20, Part 1, p. 355-356, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

James B Garvin, J L Bufton, B A Campbell, S H Zisk (1989) Terrain analysis of the Meteor Crater ejecta blanket, Abstracts: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 20, Part 1, p. 333-334, Houston, TX, United States (USA): Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

V L Masaitis (1992) Impact craters: are they useful?, Meteoritics 27(1), p. 21-27, url

Y Miura, Y Noma, O G Iancu (1993) New occurrence of shocked graphite aggregates at Barringer Crater, Meteoritics 28(3), p. 402, Arizona State University, Center for Meteorite Studies, Tempe, AZ, url

C A Polanskey, T J Ahrens (1994) Scaling craters in carbonates: Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis of shock damage, Journal of Geophysical Research 99(E3), p. 5621-5638, doi:https://doi.org/10.1029/93JE03574

D J Roddy, E M Shoemaker (1995) Meteor Crater (Barringer Meteorite Crater), Arizona: summary of impact conditions, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 30(5), p. 567, url

R Skala (1996) Rietveld crystal structure refinement of quartz from the Barringer Crater, Arizona, Meteoritics & Planetary Science S31, D W G Sears (ed.), p. 130-131, Fayetteville, AR, United States (USA): Meteoritical Society, Fayetteville, AR, url

J Siefert-Dudley (1998) Herman LeRoy Fairchild: an early promoter and defender of meteorite impact cratering, Proceedings of the Rochester Academy of Science 18(2), p. 18-32, url

Y Miura, S Fukuyama, M A Kedves, A Yamori, M Okamoto, A Gucsik (2000) Chemical separation of Fe-Ni particles after impact, Advances in Space Research 25(2), p. 285-288, doi:10.1016/S0273-1177(99)00945-X

William L Bilodeau (2002) Meteorite impact shock deformation fabric elements in the Triassic Shinarump Conglomerate, northern Arizona, Abstracts with Programs: Geological Society of America 34(6), p. 403, Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO

Friedrich Hörz, David W Mittlefehldt, Thomas H See, Charles Galindo (2002) Petrographic studies of the impact melts from Meteor Crater, Arizona, USA, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 37(4), doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2002.tb00836.x

I Uzonyi, G Szoeor, B Vekemans, L Vincze, P Rozsa, G Szabo, A Somogyi, F Adams, A Z Kiss (2004) Application of combined micro-proton-induced X-ray emission and micro-synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence techniques for the characterization of impact materials around Barringer Meteor Crater, Spectrochimica Acta Part B, Atomic Spectroscopy 59(10-11), p. 1717-1723, doi:10.1016/j.sab.2004.05.030

I Uzonyi, G Szoor, P Rozsa, B Vekemans, L Vincze, F Adams, M Drakopoulos, A Somogyi, A Z Kiss (2004) Characterization of impact materials around Barringer Meteor Crater by micro-PIXE and micro-SRXRF techniques, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 219-220, p. 555-560, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2004.01.119

G Szoor, P Rozsa, B Vekemans, L Vincze, F Adams, I Uzonyi, A Z Kiss, I Beszeda (2005) Characterization of cosmic micro-objects by SEM-EDS, DIGE, MICRO-PIXE and SRXRF techniques, Acta Geologica Hungarica 48(4), p. 419-434, doi:10.1556/AGeol.48.2005.4.4

Melissa R Cox, Kevin R Evans, T G Plymate, J F Miller (2006) Geologic mapping of the Weaubleau Structure, west-central Missouri, Abstracts with Programs: Geological Society of America 38(7), p. 58, Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO

V L Masaitis (2006) Review of the Barringer crater studies and views on the crater's origin, Solar System Research 40(6), p. 500-512, doi:https://doi.org/10.1134/S0038094606060074

T Okumura, A Gucsik, H Nishido, K Ninagawa (2006) Cathodoluminescence and Raman spectroscopic characterization of shocked quartz from the Barringer and Ries impact craters, Meteoritics & Planetary Science S41, Fayetteville, AR, United States (USA): Meteoritical Society, Fayetteville, AR, pdf

Y Miura (2007) Detailed ASEM analyses of carbon-bearing impact materials at the Barringer meteorite crater in the USA, Meteoritics & Planetary Science S42, p. 1, Meteoritical Society, Fayetteville, AR, pdf

T Okumura, A Gucsik, H Nishido, K Ninagawa (2007) Raman spectroscopy of planar deformation features of shocked quartz samples from Ries and Barringer impact structures, Abstracts: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 38, p. A1062, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, doi:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/252909901_Raman_Spectroscopy_of_Planar_Deformation_Features_of_Shocked_Quartz_Samples_from_Ries_and_Barringer_Impact_Structures

H Plotkin, R S Clarke Jr (2008) Harvey Nininger's 1948 attempt to nationalize Meteor Crater, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 43(10), p. 1741-1756, doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1945-5100.2008.tb00640.x

P Rozsa, I Uzonyi, G Szoor, P Pelicon, J Simcic, C Cserhati, L Daroczi, A Gucsik, G Szabo, A Z Kiss (2008) Study on impact materials around the Barringer meteor crater by ED-SEM and micro-PIXE techniques, Meteoritics & Planetary Science S43, A J T Jull (ed.), Fayetteville, AR, United States (USA): Meteoritical Society, Fayetteville, AR, url

Richard B Brown, Donald Holland, R D McKellip, A R Navard (2008) Creation of high resolution terrain models of Barringer meteorite crater (Meteor Crater) using photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanning methods, Abstracts: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 39, p. A2453, Houston, TX, United States (USA): Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

I Uzonyi, G Szoeor, P Rozsa, P Pelicon, J Simcic, C Cserhati, L Daroczi, A Z Kiss (2009) Investigation of impact materials around Barringer Meteor Crater by SEM-EDX and micro-PIXE techniques, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 267(12-13), p. 2225-2228, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2009.03.014

Z Szikszai, I Uzonyi, A Z Kiss, G A Sziki, D Vantelon, P Rozsa (2009) Investigation of impact materials from the Barringer Meteor Crater by micro-XANES and micro-PIXE techniques, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 267(12-13), p. 2229-2232, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2009.03.016

J R Morrow, J C Weber (2009) Comparison of low-pressure shock-metamorphic effects in quartz from Barringer Crater, Arizona, and Kentland Dome, Indiana, Abstracts: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 40, p. 1913, Houston, TX, United States (USA): Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, pdf

D A Kring, J Balcerski, D M Blair, M Chojnacki, P H Donohue, S A Drummond, J M Garber, M Hopkins, M S Huber, S J Jaret, A Losiak, A Maier, J Mitchell, L Ong, L R Ostrach, K M O'Sullivan, R W K Potter, S Robbins, B Shankar, E K Shea, K N Singer, M Sori, S Sturm, M Willmes, M R Zanetti, A Wittmann (2011) Fold hinge in overturned Coconino Sandstone and its structural displacement during the formation of Barringer meteorite crater (aka Meteor Crater), Abstracts: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 42, p. 1740, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

W A Watters, J P Grotzinger, James F Bell III, J Grant, A G Hayes, R Li, S W Squyres, Maria T Zuber (2011) Origin of the structure and planform of small impact craters in fractured targets: Endurance Crater at Meridiani Planum, Mars, Icarus 211(1), p. 472-497, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.08.030

P S Russell, J A Grant, Lynn M Carter, W B Garry, K K Williams, G A Morgan, I J Daubar, Ben Bussey (2012) Ground penetrating radar field studies of planetary analog geologic settings: impact ejecta, volcanics, and fluvial terrains, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2012, p. Abstract P33C-1952, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, url

J J Hagerty, T A Gaither, J F McHone (2012) Characterizing Impact Ejecta Deposits at Barringer (Meteor) Crater, Arizona, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 47(1, SI), p. A168, url

D R Dowling, T R Dowling (2013) Scaling of impact craters in unconsolidated granular materials, American Journal of Physics 81(11), p. 875-878, doi:https://doi.org/10.1119/1.4817309

P S Russell, J A Grant, K K Williams, Lynn M Carter, W B Garry, I J Daubar (2013) Ground penetrating radar geologic field studies of the ejecta of Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona, as a planetary analog, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 118(9), p. 1915-1933, doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/jgre.20145

K Zeigler, S Semken, C Moore (2013) Meteor Crater: from misunderstanding to obsession to scientific icon, Guidebook: New Mexico Geological Society 64, p. 22-23, Socorro, NM, United States (USA): New Mexico Geological Society, Socorro, NM, pdf

C M Altomare, A L Fagan, D A Kring (2014) Eolian deposits of pyroclastic volcanic debris in Meteor Crater, Abstracts with Programs: Geological Society of America 46(2), p. 67, Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, url

David A Kring (2017) Guidebook to the Geology of Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona (a k a Meteor Crater). Second edition, url

G Racki, J W M Jagt, E A Jagt-Yazykova, C Koeberl (2018) A Dutch contribution to early interpretations of Meteor Crater, Arizona, USA – Marten Edsge Mulder’s ignored 1911 paper, Proceedings of the Geologists' Association 129(4), url, doi:10.1016/j.pgeola.2018.05.005

Cole A. Nypaver, Bradley J. Thomson, Jeffrey E. Moersch, David A. Kring (2025) A Drone‐Based Thermophysical Investigation of Barringer Meteorite Crater Ejecta, Earth and Space Science 12(2), url, doi:10.1029/2024EA003984