CHARLEVOIX CRATER


An aerial photo of 'Charlevoix crater'. The inner circle marks an early estimate of the diameter of the crater; the outer circle indicates what is now believed to be the real size.

The 'Charlevoix crater' is a large eroded meteorite impact crater in Quebec, Canada. Only part of the crater is exposed at the surface, the rest being covered by the Saint Lawrence River. The original crater is estimated to have been 54 km in diameter and the age is estimated to be 342 ± 15 million years (Mississippian). It is classified as multi-ringed basin with a central uplift. It is believed to have been caused by a space object, probably a stony asteroid, at least two kilometres in diameter and massing 15 billion tonnes. The Mont des Éboulements rises exactly in the centre of the crater, a consequence of the rebounding effect of the impact of the meteorite.[1]
The impact origin of Charlevoix crater was first realized 1965 after the discovery of many shatter cones in the area. Other evidence for impact includes planar deformation features (PDFs) in quartz and feldspar grains.
Contrary to the surrounding craggy Laurentian Mountains, the crater is smooth and relatively flat, which has facilitated human settlement. Today, 90% of the people of Charlevoix live within this crater.1

Contents
References
External links

References


1. Interpretation Centre, Parc national des Grands-Jardins, Charlevoix

External links



★ Earth Impact Database

★ Satellite image of the region (from Google Maps)

★ Aerial Exploration of the Charlevoix Structure

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