Tin Bider crater
Landsat image of the Tin Bider crater; screen capture from NASA World Wind
Impact crater/structure
ConfidenceConfirmed
Diameter6 km (3.7 mi)
Age<70 Ma
<Late Cretaceous
ExposedYes
DrilledNo
Location
LocationTinrhert Plateau
Coordinates27°36′7″N 5°6′44″E / 27.60194°N 5.11222°E / 27.60194; 5.11222
CountryAlgeria
StateTamanrasset Province
Tin Bider crater is located in Algeria
Tin Bider crater
Location of the crater in Algeria

Tin Bider (Arabic: تين بيدر) is an impact crater that sits in dry, rugged terrain in Algeria.[1][2] The crater was formed in the last 70 million years, perhaps in the late Cretaceous or early Tertiary Period.[2] Spanning 6 kilometres, the crater sits at the southern end of a range of hills.[2] The elevated position and concentric rings of Tin Bider suggest that its structure is complex.

Massive sandstones attributable to the Lower Cretaceous, known throughout the Sahara, are only exposed in the craters centre, about 500 meters above its usual stratigraphic position.

Because of the large prominence of ductile deformation, Tin Bider significantly differs from other craters. While there is yet no conclusive explanation for this unique condition, Tin Bider could provide important information toward a better understanding of large-scale impact cratering.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Tin Bider". Earth Impact Database. Planetary and Space Science Centre University of New Brunswick Fredericton. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
  2. 1 2 3 "Tin Bider Crater, Algeria". NASA.

Further reading

  • Koeberl, C., African meteorite impact craters: Characteristics and geological importance. Journal of African Sciences, v. 18, pp. 263–295. 1994
  • Lambert, P., McHone, J.F. Jr., Dietz, R.S., Briedj, M. and Djender,M., Impact and impact-like structures in Algeria. Part II, multi-ringed structures. Meteoritics, v. 16, pp. 203–227. 1981
  • McHone, J. F. Jr., Lambert, P., Dietz, R.S. and Briedj, M., Impact structures in Algeria (abstract). Meteoritics, v. 15, pp. 331–332. 1980
  • Monod, T., Contribution to a list of circular structures of cryptoexplosive meteoric origin (known, possible, or supposed) (in French). Insitiut Francais d'Afrique Noire (I.F.A.N.), Dakar, Catalogues et documents, v. 18, 96 p. 1965


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