The new atlas presents and illustrates the impact sites of meteorites and asteroids worldwide

The physics map of Serra da Cangalha, Brazil, the impact system, is made using the Tantem-X Mission digital height model. Credit: Godwald, Kengman, Remold: Terrain Attack Structures, The Tandem-X Atlas, Verlock Dr. Friedrich Biffle

With Dr. Thomas Kengman, Professor of Geology at the University of Freiburg University of Earth and Environmental Sciences; ) Published an atlas providing a comprehensive overview of all known impact craters on each continent. The authors present more than 200 terrain impact sites in high-definition landscape maps and satellite imagery, complete with detailed geographical descriptions and photographs of crater structures and their rocks. They also explain the essential details of each attack event.

Kengman explains that the formation of craters by the impact of asteroids and comets has always been a fundamental process in the solar system. As the planets grew along with their moons, these influences played a key role in increasing planetary mass, shaping the surfaces of planetary bodies, and later affecting their growth. Large meteorite impacts eventually affected the development of life on Earth.

Today, mapping of visible impact structures on the Earth’s surface can be done by satellites in low Earth orbit. From 2010 to 2016, the DLR successfully measured the Earth’s surface with the radar satellites of the Tantem-X mission. Purchased data allowed, for the first time, to obtain a global landscape model with altitude Accuracy Up to a meter. From this global digital elevation model, the authors were able to produce this complete 600-page Atmospheric Atlas with information on all known terrain impact craters known to date.

Note: Godwald, M., Kengman, D., Remold, WU (2020): Terrain impact structures. Tantem-X Atlas. Parts 1 and 2. Munich.