The Impact Field Studies Group (IFSG) was a scientific organization emphasizing geologic field research of suspected and confirmed sites of
impact crater
An impact crater is a depression (geology), depression in the surface of a solid astronomical body formed by the hypervelocity impact event, impact of a smaller object. In contrast to volcanic craters, which result from explosion or internal c ...
s and
impact structure
An impact structure is a generally circular or craterlike geologic structure of deformed bedrock or sediment produced by impact on a planetary surface, whatever the stage of erosion of the structure. In contrast, an impact crater is the surface e ...
s. The group is composed of researchers, professionals and students involved in study of impact sites. IFSG's web site is hosted by the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at
University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Impact Database
IFSG member David Rajmon maintains for the organization a list which was originally called the Suspected Earth Impact Sites (SEIS) list from 2004 to 2009. It was then renamed to simply the Impact Database. The list classifies impact sites as confirmed, most probable, probable, possible, improbable, rejected and proposed (unevaluated). The list retains rejected entries because they tend to be submitted repeatedly.
The IFSG Impact Database accepts submissions of proposed new impact sites. However, they require submitters do some significant homework as listed below first.
* The submitter should download the Impact Database or KML (Google Earth) version of it to verify that the site has not already been included, and possibly rejected.
* If the submitter is not familiar with the science behind recognition of impact craters, they must read
Traces of Catastrophe.
* They should look at maps to consider other alternatives to impact craters, whether man-made (such as mining pits and ponds) or natural (such as sinkholes and volcanic vents).
* The page lists some suggestions how to avoid fixating on the possibility of an impact and consider more open investigation of what the feature is.
Field trips
IFSG arranges field trips to impact-related sites. Past events have included
*
Marquez crater, Texas, USA, 2004
*
Serpent Mound crater, Ohio, USA, 2004
*
Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary
The Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary, formerly known as the Cretaceous–Tertiary (K–T) boundary, is a geological signature, usually a thin band of rock containing much more iridium than other bands. The K–Pg boundary marks the end o ...
(K–T boundary), Texas, USA, 2005
*
Middlesboro crater, Kentucky, USA and
Flynn Creek crater, Tennessee, USA, 2005
*
Sierra Madera crater, Texas, USA, 2006
*
Kentland crater, Indiana, USA, 2007
*
Wells Creek crater, Tennessee, USA, 2008
*
Nevada Test Site
The Nevada National Security Sites (N2S2 or NNSS), popularized as the Nevada Test Site (NTS) until 2010, is a reservation of the United States Department of Energy located in the southeastern portion of Nye County, Nevada, about northwest of ...
, Nevada, USA, 2009 (nuclear explosion craters at NTS were how
shock metamorphism
Shock metamorphism or impact metamorphism describes the effects of shock-wave related deformation and heating during impact events.
The formation of similar features during explosive volcanism is generally discounted due to the lack of metamorp ...
was studied by
Eugene Shoemaker
Eugene Merle Shoemaker (April 28, 1928 – July 18, 1997) was an American geologist. He co-discovered Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 with his wife Carolyn S. Shoemaker and David H. Levy. This comet hit Jupiter in July 1994: the impact was telev ...
and then applied to create the science of impact geology)
References
External links
Impact Field Studies Group
{{Impact cratering on Earth
Impact geology
Geology organizations