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class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Conservation</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Conservation-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Community" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Community"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Community</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Community-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span 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aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Vredefort impact structure</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 47 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-47" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">47 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-af mw-list-item"><a href="https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefortkoepel" title="Vredefortkoepel – Afrikaans" lang="af" hreflang="af" data-title="Vredefortkoepel" data-language-autonym="Afrikaans" data-language-local-name="Afrikaans" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Afrikaans</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%D9%88%D9%87%D8%A9_%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AA" title="فوهة فريديفورت – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="فوهة فريديفورت" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ast badge-Q17437798 badge-goodarticle mw-list-item" title="good article badge"><a href="https://ast.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cr%C3%A1ter_de_Vredefort" title="Cráter de Vredefort – Asturian" lang="ast" hreflang="ast" data-title="Cráter de Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Asturianu" data-language-local-name="Asturian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Asturianu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-az mw-list-item"><a href="https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_krateri" title="Vredefort krateri – Azerbaijani" lang="az" hreflang="az" data-title="Vredefort krateri" data-language-autonym="Azərbaycanca" data-language-local-name="Azerbaijani" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Azərbaycanca</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cr%C3%A0ter_de_Vredefort" title="Cràter de Vredefort – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Cràter de Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ceb mw-list-item"><a href="https://ceb.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_Dome" title="Vredefort Dome – Cebuano" lang="ceb" hreflang="ceb" data-title="Vredefort Dome" data-language-autonym="Cebuano" data-language-local-name="Cebuano" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Cebuano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_(kr%C3%A1ter)" title="Vredefort (kráter) – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Vredefort (kráter)" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort-krateret" title="Vredefort-krateret – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Vredefort-krateret" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort-Krater" title="Vredefort-Krater – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Vredefort-Krater" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-el mw-list-item"><a href="https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9A%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%AE%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%82_%CE%92%CF%81%CE%AD%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B5%CF%86%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%BD%CF%84" title="Κρατήρας Βρέντεφορντ – Greek" lang="el" hreflang="el" data-title="Κρατήρας Βρέντεφορντ" data-language-autonym="Ελληνικά" data-language-local-name="Greek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Ελληνικά</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es badge-Q17437798 badge-goodarticle mw-list-item" title="good article badge"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cr%C3%A1ter_de_Vredefort" title="Cráter de Vredefort – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Cráter de Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredeforteko_kraterra" title="Vredeforteko kraterra – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Vredeforteko kraterra" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87_%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%AA" title="دهانه وردفرت – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="دهانه وردفرت" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%B4me_de_Vredefort" title="Dôme de Vredefort – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Dôme de Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hi mw-list-item"><a href="https://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A1%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%AB%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F_%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%9C" title="व्रेडेफोर्ट गुम्बज – Hindi" lang="hi" hreflang="hi" data-title="व्रेडेफोर्ट गुम्बज" data-language-autonym="हिन्दी" data-language-local-name="Hindi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>हिन्दी</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hr mw-list-item"><a href="https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krater_Vredefort" title="Krater Vredefort – Croatian" lang="hr" hreflang="hr" data-title="Krater Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Hrvatski" data-language-local-name="Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Hrvatski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawah_Vredefort" title="Kawah Vredefort – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Kawah Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cratere_di_Vredefort" title="Cratere di Vredefort – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Cratere di Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%9B%D7%AA%D7%A9_%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%93%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%98" title="מכתש פרדפורט – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="מכתש פרדפורט" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ka mw-list-item"><a href="https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%95%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%93%E1%83%94%E1%83%A4%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A2%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1_%E1%83%99%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98" title="ვრედეფორტის კრატერი – Georgian" lang="ka" hreflang="ka" data-title="ვრედეფორტის კრატერი" data-language-autonym="ქართული" data-language-local-name="Georgian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ქართული</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-avk mw-list-item"><a href="https://avk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort" title="Vredefort – Kotava" lang="avk" hreflang="avk" data-title="Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Kotava" data-language-local-name="Kotava" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Kotava</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lt mw-list-item"><a href="https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredeforto_krateris" title="Fredeforto krateris – Lithuanian" lang="lt" hreflang="lt" data-title="Fredeforto krateris" data-language-autonym="Lietuvių" data-language-local-name="Lithuanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lietuvių</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hu mw-list-item"><a href="https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort-kr%C3%A1ter" title="Vredefort-kráter – Hungarian" lang="hu" hreflang="hu" data-title="Vredefort-kráter" data-language-autonym="Magyar" data-language-local-name="Hungarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Magyar</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-mai mw-list-item"><a href="https://mai.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A1%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%AB%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F_%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0" title="व्रेडेफोर्ट गजुर – Maithili" lang="mai" hreflang="mai" data-title="व्रेडेफोर्ट गजुर" data-language-autonym="मैथिली" data-language-local-name="Maithili" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>मैथिली</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ml mw-list-item"><a href="https://ml.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B4%B5%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%B0%E0%B5%86%E0%B4%A1%E0%B5%87%E0%B4%AB%E0%B5%8B%E0%B5%BC%E0%B4%9F%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%9F%E0%B5%8D_%E0%B4%89%E0%B5%BD%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%BE%E0%B4%97%E0%B5%BC%E0%B4%A4%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%A4%E0%B4%82" title="വ്രെഡേഫോർട്ട് ഉൽക്കാഗർത്തം – Malayalam" lang="ml" hreflang="ml" data-title="വ്രെഡേഫോർട്ട് ഉൽക്കാഗർത്തം" data-language-autonym="മലയാളം" data-language-local-name="Malayalam" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>മലയാളം</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-mt mw-list-item"><a href="https://mt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krater_ta%27_Vredefort" title="Krater ta' Vredefort – Maltese" lang="mt" hreflang="mt" data-title="Krater ta' Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Malti" data-language-local-name="Maltese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Malti</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefortkrater" title="Vredefortkrater – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Vredefortkrater" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ne mw-list-item"><a href="https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A1%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%AB%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F_%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0" title="व्रेडेफोर्ट गजुर – Nepali" lang="ne" hreflang="ne" data-title="व्रेडेफोर्ट गजुर" data-language-autonym="नेपाली" data-language-local-name="Nepali" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>नेपाली</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%83%AC%E3%83%87%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%83%BB%E3%83%89%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0" title="フレデフォート・ドーム – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="フレデフォート・ドーム" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort-krateret" title="Vredefort-krateret – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Vredefort-krateret" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nn mw-list-item"><a href="https://nn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefortkrateret" title="Vredefortkrateret – Norwegian Nynorsk" lang="nn" hreflang="nn" data-title="Vredefortkrateret" data-language-autonym="Norsk nynorsk" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Nynorsk" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk nynorsk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-oc mw-list-item"><a href="https://oc.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crat%C3%A8r_de_Vredefort" title="Cratèr de Vredefort – Occitan" lang="oc" hreflang="oc" data-title="Cratèr de Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Occitan" data-language-local-name="Occitan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Occitan</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_(krater)" title="Vredefort (krater) – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Vredefort (krater)" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cratera_de_Vredefort" title="Cratera de Vredefort – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Cratera de Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craterul_Vredefort" title="Craterul Vredefort – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="Craterul Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Română</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%82_(%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80)" title="Вредефорт (кратер) – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Вредефорт (кратер)" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sco mw-list-item"><a href="https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_crater" title="Vredefort crater – Scots" lang="sco" hreflang="sco" data-title="Vredefort crater" data-language-autonym="Scots" data-language-local-name="Scots" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Scots</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-simple mw-list-item"><a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_crater" title="Vredefort crater – Simple English" lang="en-simple" hreflang="en-simple" data-title="Vredefort crater" data-language-autonym="Simple English" data-language-local-name="Simple English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Simple English</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sk mw-list-item"><a href="https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_(kr%C3%A1ter)" title="Vredefort (kráter) – Slovak" lang="sk" hreflang="sk" data-title="Vredefort (kráter)" data-language-autonym="Slovenčina" data-language-local-name="Slovak" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenčina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sh mw-list-item"><a href="https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_krater" title="Vredefort krater – Serbo-Croatian" lang="sh" hreflang="sh" data-title="Vredefort krater" data-language-autonym="Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски" data-language-local-name="Serbo-Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort-kraatteri" title="Vredefort-kraatteri – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Vredefort-kraatteri" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefortkratern" title="Vredefortkratern – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Vredefortkratern" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-th mw-list-item"><a href="https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9F%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%9F%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C%E0%B8%95" title="หลุมอุกกาบาตเฟรเดอฟอร์ต – Thai" lang="th" hreflang="th" data-title="หลุมอุกกาบาตเฟรเดอฟอร์ต" data-language-autonym="ไทย" data-language-local-name="Thai" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ไทย</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_Kubbesi" title="Vredefort Kubbesi – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Vredefort Kubbesi" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%82_(%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80)" title="Вредефорт (кратер) – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Вредефорт (кратер)" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-vi mw-list-item"><a href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%E1%BB%91_va_ch%E1%BA%A1m_Vredefort" title="Hố va chạm Vredefort – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="Hố va chạm Vredefort" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tiếng Việt</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%BC%97%E9%87%8C%E5%BE%B7%E5%A0%A1%E9%9A%95%E7%9F%B3%E5%9D%91" title="弗里德堡隕石坑 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="弗里德堡隕石坑" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>中文</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet 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<div class="mw-indicators"> <div id="mw-indicator-coordinates" class="mw-indicator"><div class="mw-parser-output"><span id="coordinates"><a href="/wiki/Geographic_coordinate_system" title="Geographic coordinate system">Coordinates</a>: <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1156832818">.mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}</style><span class="plainlinks nourlexpansion"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Vredefort_impact_structure&params=27_0_0_S_27_30_0_E_type:landmark_scale:5000000_region:SA"><span class="geo-default"><span class="geo-dms" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location"><span class="latitude">27°0′0″S</span> <span class="longitude">27°30′0″E</span></span></span><span class="geo-multi-punct"> / </span><span class="geo-nondefault"><span class="geo-dec" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location">27.00000°S 27.50000°E</span><span style="display:none"> / <span class="geo">-27.00000; 27.50000</span></span></span></a></span></span></div></div> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Largest verified impact structure on Earth, about 2 billion years old</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox vcard"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above fn org" style="background-color: #c8b890">Vredefort impact structure</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-subheader">Vredefort Dome</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="/wiki/File:Vredefort_Crater,_South_Africa,_OLI_satellite_image,_27_June_2018_cropped.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Vredefort_Crater%2C_South_Africa%2C_OLI_satellite_image%2C_27_June_2018_cropped.png/260px-Vredefort_Crater%2C_South_Africa%2C_OLI_satellite_image%2C_27_June_2018_cropped.png" decoding="async" width="260" height="312" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Vredefort_Crater%2C_South_Africa%2C_OLI_satellite_image%2C_27_June_2018_cropped.png/390px-Vredefort_Crater%2C_South_Africa%2C_OLI_satellite_image%2C_27_June_2018_cropped.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Vredefort_Crater%2C_South_Africa%2C_OLI_satellite_image%2C_27_June_2018_cropped.png/520px-Vredefort_Crater%2C_South_Africa%2C_OLI_satellite_image%2C_27_June_2018_cropped.png 2x" data-file-width="1340" data-file-height="1609" /></a></span><div class="infobox-caption">Vredefort Dome (centre), with the <a href="/wiki/Vaal_river" class="mw-redirect" title="Vaal river">Vaal river</a> running across it; seen from space with the <a href="/wiki/Operational_Land_Imager" title="Operational Land Imager">Operational Land Imager</a> on <a href="/wiki/Landsat_8" title="Landsat 8">Landsat 8</a>, 27 June 2018</div></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color: #c8b890">Impact crater/structure</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Confidence</th><td class="infobox-data category">Confirmed</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Diameter</th><td class="infobox-data">170–300 km (110–190 mi) (estimated former crater diameter)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><a href="/wiki/Geologic_time_scale" title="Geologic time scale">Age</a></th><td class="infobox-data category"><span class="noprint"><span style="display:inline-block;"></span><span style="display:inline-block;">2023 Ma</span> <span style="display:inline-block;"></span><div id="Timeline-row" style="margin: 4px auto 0; clear:both; width:250px; padding:0px; height:18px; overflow:visible; border:1px #666; border-style:solid none; font-size:small; position:relative; z-index:0;"> <div style="position:absolute; height:12px; top:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(153,192,141); left:220.50773980251px; width:15.703916975018px;"></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:12px; top:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(103,197,202); left:236.21165677753px; width:10.175705559083px;"></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:12px; top:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(242,249,29); left:246.38736233661px; width:3.6126376633897px;"></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(154,217,221); left:220.50773980251px; width:29.492260197491px;"><a href="/wiki/Phanerozoic" title="Phanerozoic"><span style="color:black;">Pha.</span></a></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:12px; top:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(247,67,112); left:113.15766426554px; width:49.263240864406px;"></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:12px; top:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(253,180,98); left:162.42090512995px; width:32.84216057627px;"></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:12px; top:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(254,179,66); left:195.26306570622px; width:25.244674096293px;"></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(247,53,99); left:113.15766426554px; width:107.35007553697px;"><a href="/wiki/Proterozoic" title="Proterozoic"><span style="color:black;">Proterozoic</span></a></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:12px; top:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(218,3,127); left:29.355417861756px; width:23.591618680621px;"></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:12px; top:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(244,68,159); left:52.947036542377px; width:21.894773717514px;"></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:12px; top:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(247,104,169); left:74.841810259891px; width:21.894773717514px;"></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:12px; top:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(249,155,193); left:96.736583977405px; width:16.421080288135px;"></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(240,4,127); left:29.355417861756px; width:83.802246403783px;"><a href="/wiki/Archean" title="Archean"><span style="color:black;">Archean</span></a></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:12px; top:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(174,2,126); left:0px; width:29.355417861756px;"></div> <div style="position:absolute; height:6px; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(174,2,126); left:0px; width:29.355417861756px;"><a href="/wiki/Hadean" title="Hadean"><span style="color:white;">Had.</span></a></div> <div id="end-border" style="position:absolute; height:100%; background-color:#666; width:1px; left:249px"></div><div style="margin:0 auto; line-height:0; clear:both; width:250px; padding:0px; height:8px; overflow:visible; background-color:transparent; position:relative; top:-4px; z-index:100;"> <div style="position:absolute; left:139.26718192367px; font-size:50%"><div style="position:relative; left:-0.42em">↓</div></div> </div> </div></span>± 4 Ma<br /> <a href="/wiki/Orosirian" title="Orosirian">Orosirian</a>, <a href="/wiki/Paleoproterozoic" title="Paleoproterozoic">Paleoproterozoic</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Exposed</th><td class="infobox-data">Yes</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Drilled</th><td class="infobox-data">Yes</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color: #c8b890">Location</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><a href="/wiki/Geographic_coordinate_system" title="Geographic coordinate system">Coordinates</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><span class="geo-inline"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1156832818">.mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}</style><span class="plainlinks nourlexpansion"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Vredefort_impact_structure&params=27_0_0_S_27_30_0_E_type:landmark_scale:5000000_region:SA"><span class="geo-default"><span class="geo-dms" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location"><span class="latitude">27°0′0″S</span> <span class="longitude">27°30′0″E</span></span></span><span class="geo-multi-punct"> / </span><span class="geo-nondefault"><span class="geo-dec" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location">27.00000°S 27.50000°E</span><span style="display:none"> / <span class="geo">-27.00000; 27.50000</span></span></span></a></span></span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Country</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/South_Africa" title="South Africa">South Africa</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Province</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Free_State_(province)" title="Free State (province)">Free State</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238443738">.mw-parser-output .locmap .od{position:absolute}.mw-parser-output .locmap .id{position:absolute;line-height:0}.mw-parser-output .locmap .l0{font-size:0;position:absolute}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pv{line-height:110%;position:absolute;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pl{line-height:110%;position:absolute;top:-0.75em;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pr{line-height:110%;position:absolute;top:-0.75em;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pv>div{display:inline;padding:1px}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pl>div{display:inline;padding:1px;float:right}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pr>div{display:inline;padding:1px;float:left}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .od,html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .od .pv>div,html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .od .pl>div,html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .od .pr>div{background:#fff!important;color:#000!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .locmap{filter:grayscale(0.6)}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data .locmap div{background:transparent!important}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .locmap{filter:grayscale(0.6)}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .od,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .od .pv>div,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .od .pl>div,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .od .pr>div{background:white!important;color:#000!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data .locmap div{background:transparent!important}}</style><div class="center"><div class="locmap" style="width:248px;float:none;clear:both;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"><div style="width:248px;padding:0"><div style="position:relative;width:248px"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:South_Africa_adm_location_map.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Vredefort impact structure is located in South Africa"><img alt="Vredefort impact structure is located in South Africa" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/South_Africa_adm_location_map.svg/248px-South_Africa_adm_location_map.svg.png" decoding="async" width="248" height="213" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/South_Africa_adm_location_map.svg/372px-South_Africa_adm_location_map.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/South_Africa_adm_location_map.svg/496px-South_Africa_adm_location_map.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="2031" data-file-height="1741" /></a></span><div class="od notheme" style="top:38.806%;left:66.86%;font-size:91%"><div class="id" style="left:-8px;top:-8px"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Vredefort impact structure"><img alt="Vredefort impact structure" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Map_pointer.svg/16px-Map_pointer.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Map_pointer.svg/24px-Map_pointer.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Map_pointer.svg/32px-Map_pointer.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="30" data-file-height="30" /></span></span></div></div></div><div style="padding-top:0.2em">Location of Vredefort impact structure</div></div></div></div></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color: #c8b890"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1151960987">body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox table{display:table}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox caption{display:table-caption}</style> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></th></tr><tr class="mergedrow"><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header"><div style="border:4px solid #0177D3; line-height: 1.5; text-align: center;"> <a href="/wiki/World_Heritage_Site" title="World Heritage Site">UNESCO World Heritage Site</a></div></th></tr><tr class="mergedrow"><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.3em;">Official name</th><td class="infobox-data">Vredefort Dome</td></tr><tr class="mergedrow"><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.3em;">Includes</th><td class="infobox-data"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><div class="hlist"> <ol><li>Vredefort Dome core area</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Stromatolite" title="Stromatolite">stromatolite</a>/basal <a href="/wiki/Fault_plane" class="mw-redirect" title="Fault plane">fault plane</a> site</li> <li>The chocolate tablet <a href="/wiki/Breccia" title="Breccia">breccia</a> site</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Pseudotachylite" class="mw-redirect" title="Pseudotachylite">pseudotachylite</a> (quarry) site</li></ol> </div></td></tr><tr class="mergedrow"><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.3em;"><a href="/wiki/World_Heritage_Site#Selection_criteria" title="World Heritage Site">Criteria</a></th><td class="infobox-data category">Natural: (viii)</td></tr><tr class="mergedrow"><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.3em;">Reference</th><td class="infobox-data"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1162">1162</a></td></tr><tr class="mergedrow"><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.3em;">Inscription</th><td class="infobox-data">2005 (29th <a href="/wiki/World_Heritage_Committee" title="World Heritage Committee">Session</a>)</td></tr><tr class="mergedrow"><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.3em;">Area</th><td class="infobox-data category">30,000 ha (120 sq mi)</td></tr><tr style="display:none"><th colspan="2"> </th></tr></tbody></table> <p>The <b>Vredefort impact structure</b> is the <a href="/wiki/List_of_impact_craters_on_Earth#10_Ma_or_more" class="mw-redirect" title="List of impact craters on Earth">largest</a> verified <a href="/wiki/Impact_structure" title="Impact structure">impact structure</a> on <a href="/wiki/Earth" title="Earth">Earth</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-UR-2022_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-UR-2022-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The crater, which has since been eroded away, has been estimated at 170–300 kilometres (110–190 mi) across when it was formed.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:1_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The remaining structure, comprising the deformed underlying bedrock, is located in present-day <a href="/wiki/Free_State_(province)" title="Free State (province)">Free State</a> province of <a href="/wiki/South_Africa" title="South Africa">South Africa</a>. It is named after the town of <a href="/wiki/Vredefort" title="Vredefort">Vredefort</a>, which is near its centre. The structure's central uplift is known as the <b>Vredefort Dome</b>. The impact structure was formed during the <a href="/wiki/Paleoproterozoic_Era" class="mw-redirect" title="Paleoproterozoic Era">Paleoproterozoic Era</a>, 2.023 billion (± 4 million) years ago. It is the second-oldest known impact structure on Earth, after <a href="/wiki/Yarrabubba_impact_structure" title="Yarrabubba impact structure">Yarrabubba</a>. </p><p>In 2005, the Vredefort Dome was added to the list of <a href="/wiki/UNESCO" title="UNESCO">UNESCO</a> <a href="/wiki/World_Heritage_Site" title="World Heritage Site">World Heritage Sites</a> for its geologic interest. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Formation_and_structure">Formation and structure</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Vredefort_impact_structure&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Formation and structure"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Map_of_Vredefort_dome.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Map_of_Vredefort_dome.jpg/220px-Map_of_Vredefort_dome.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="183" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Map_of_Vredefort_dome.jpg/330px-Map_of_Vredefort_dome.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Map_of_Vredefort_dome.jpg/440px-Map_of_Vredefort_dome.jpg 2x" data-file-width="10000" data-file-height="8319" /></a><figcaption>Map of South Africa showing the location of the Vredefort Dome, the remains of a 2.023-billion-year-old impact structure. The interrupted line circle, 300 km (190 mi) in diameter, marks the extent of the original crater.</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Aasvoelkop.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/Aasvoelkop.jpg/220px-Aasvoelkop.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="165" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/Aasvoelkop.jpg/330px-Aasvoelkop.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/Aasvoelkop.jpg/440px-Aasvoelkop.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4032" data-file-height="3024" /></a><figcaption>The view from the top of Aasvoëlkop in the heart of the Vredefort impact structure with the <a href="/wiki/Vaal_River" title="Vaal River">Vaal River</a> and <a href="/wiki/Venterskroon" title="Venterskroon">Venterskroon</a> on its right in the background</figcaption></figure> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Asteroid" title="Asteroid">asteroid</a> that hit Vredefort is estimated to have been one of the largest ever to strike Earth since the <a href="/wiki/Hadean" title="Hadean">Hadean</a> Eon some four billion years ago, originally thought to have been approximately 10–15 km (6.2–9.3 mi) in diameter.<sup id="cite_ref-McCarthy_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-McCarthy-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As of 2022, the <a href="/wiki/Bolide" title="Bolide">bolide</a> was estimated at between 20 and 25 kilometres (12 and 16 mi) in diameter and to have impacted with a vertical velocity of 15–25 kilometres per second (34,000–56,000 mph).<sup id="cite_ref-:1_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The original impact structure is estimated to have had a diameter of at least 170 km (110 mi), with the impact affecting the structure of the surrounding host rock in a circular region around 300 km (190 mi) in diameter.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Other estimates have placed the original crater diameter closer to 300 km (190 mi).<sup id="cite_ref-:1_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The landscape has since been eroded to a depth of around 7–11 km (4.3–6.8 mi) since formation, obliterating the original crater. The remaining structure, the "Vredefort Dome", consists of a partial ring of hills 70 km (43 mi) in diameter, and is the remains of the central uplift created by the <a href="/wiki/Isostatic_rebound" class="mw-redirect" title="Isostatic rebound">rebound</a> of rock below the impact site after the collision.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_2-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Estimates have placed the structure’s age to be 2.023 billion years (± 4 million years)<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or 2.019/2.020 billion years (± 2-3 million years) old,<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> which places it in the <a href="/wiki/Orosirian" title="Orosirian">Orosirian</a> Period of the Paleoproterozoic Era. It is the second oldest universally accepted impact structure on Earth. In comparison, it is about 10% older than the <a href="/wiki/Sudbury_Basin" title="Sudbury Basin">Sudbury Basin impact</a> (at 1.849 billion years) and the <a href="/wiki/Yarrabubba_impact_structure" title="Yarrabubba impact structure">Yarrabubba impact structure</a> is older than the Vredefort impact structure by about 0.2 billion years.<sup id="cite_ref-EricksonOthers2020a_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-EricksonOthers2020a-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Other purported older impact structures have either poorly constrained ages (<a href="/wiki/Dhala_crater" class="mw-redirect" title="Dhala crater">Dhala impact structure</a>, India)<sup id="cite_ref-PatiOthers2020a_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-PatiOthers2020a-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or highly contentious impact evidence in case of the circa 3.023 billion year old <a href="/wiki/Maniitsoq_structure" title="Maniitsoq structure">Maniitsoq structure</a>, West Greenland<sup id="cite_ref-GardeOthers2012a_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-GardeOthers2012a-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and the circa 2.4 billion year old <a href="/wiki/Suavj%C3%A4rvi" title="Suavjärvi">Suavjärvi structure</a>, Russia.<sup id="cite_ref-MashchakOthers2012a_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-MashchakOthers2012a-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Their classification as impact structures remain controversial and unsettled.<sup id="cite_ref-EricksonOthers2020a_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-EricksonOthers2020a-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-ReimoldOthers2014a_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ReimoldOthers2014a-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/Dome_(geology)" title="Dome (geology)">dome</a> in the centre of the impact structure was originally thought to have been formed by a <a href="/wiki/Volcano" title="Volcano">volcanic</a> explosion, but in the mid-1990s, evidence revealed it was the site of a huge bolide impact, as telltale <a href="/wiki/Shatter_cone" title="Shatter cone">shatter cones</a> were discovered in the <a href="/wiki/Stream_bed" title="Stream bed">bed</a> of the nearby <a href="/wiki/Vaal_River" title="Vaal River">Vaal River</a>. </p><p>This impact structure is one of the few multiple-ringed impact structures on Earth, although they are more common elsewhere in the Solar System. Perhaps the best-known example is <a href="/wiki/Valhalla_(crater)" title="Valhalla (crater)">Valhalla crater</a> on <a href="/wiki/Jupiter" title="Jupiter">Jupiter</a>'s moon <a href="/wiki/Callisto_(moon)" title="Callisto (moon)">Callisto</a>. Earth's <a href="/wiki/Moon" title="Moon">Moon</a> has some as well. Geological processes, such as erosion and <a href="/wiki/Plate_tectonics" title="Plate tectonics">plate tectonics</a>, have destroyed most multiple-ring impact structures on Earth. </p><p>The impact distorted the <a href="/wiki/Witwatersrand_Basin" class="mw-redirect" title="Witwatersrand Basin">Witwatersrand Basin</a> which was laid down over a period of 250 million years between 950 and 700 million years before the Vredefort impact. The overlying Ventersdorp lavas and the <a href="/wiki/Transvaal_Supergroup" title="Transvaal Supergroup">Transvaal Supergroup</a> which were laid down between 700 and 80 million years before the meteorite strike, were similarly distorted by the formation of the 300-kilometre-wide (190 mi) impact structure.<sup id="cite_ref-McCarthy_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-McCarthy-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Norman_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Norman-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The rocks form partial concentric rings around the impact structure's centre today, with the oldest, the <a href="/wiki/Witwatersrand" title="Witwatersrand">Witwatersrand</a> rocks, forming a semicircle 25 km (16 mi) from the centre. Since the Witwatersrand rocks consist of several layers of very hard, erosion-resistant sediments (e.g. <a href="/wiki/Quartzite" title="Quartzite">quartzites</a> and <a href="/wiki/Banded_iron_formations" class="mw-redirect" title="Banded iron formations">banded ironstones</a>),<sup id="cite_ref-McCarthy_4-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-McCarthy-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> they form the prominent arc of hills that can be seen to the northwest of the impact structure's centre in the satellite picture above. The Witwatersrand rocks are followed, in succession, by the Ventersdorp lavas at a distance of about 35 km (22 mi) from the centre, and the Transvaal Supergroup, consisting of a narrow band of the Ghaap <a href="/wiki/Dolomite_(rock)" title="Dolomite (rock)">Dolomite</a> rocks and the Pretoria Subgroup of rocks, which together form a 25-to-30-kilometre-wide (16 to 19 mi) band beyond that.<sup id="cite_ref-geological_map_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-geological_map-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>From about halfway through the Pretoria Subgroup of rocks around the impact structure's centre, the order of the rocks is reversed. Moving outwards towards where the crater rim used to be, the Ghaap Dolomite group resurfaces at 60 km (37 mi) from the centre, followed by an arc of Ventersdorp lavas, beyond which, at between 80 and 120 km (50 and 75 mi) from the centre, the Witwatersrand rocks re-emerge to form an interrupted arc of outcrops today. The Johannesburg group is the most famous one because it was here that gold was discovered in 1886.<sup id="cite_ref-McCarthy_4-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-McCarthy-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-geological_map_14-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-geological_map-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It is thus possible that if it had not been for the Vredefort impact this gold would never have been discovered.<sup id="cite_ref-McCarthy_4-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-McCarthy-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The 40-kilometre-diameter (25 mi) centre of the Vredefort impact structure consists of a granite dome (where it is not covered by much younger rocks belonging to the <a href="/wiki/Karoo_Supergroup" title="Karoo Supergroup">Karoo Supergroup</a>) which is an exposed part of the <a href="/wiki/Kaapvaal_craton" class="mw-redirect" title="Kaapvaal craton">Kaapvaal craton</a>, one of the oldest microcontinents which formed on Earth 3.9 billion years ago.<sup id="cite_ref-McCarthy_4-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-McCarthy-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This central <a href="/wiki/Peak_ring_(crater)" class="mw-redirect" title="Peak ring (crater)">peak</a> uplift, or dome, is typical of a complex impact structure, where the liquefied rocks splashed up in the wake of the meteor as it penetrated the surface. </p> <ul class="gallery mw-gallery-traditional"> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 535px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 530px; height: 200px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Earth%27s_geolological_timeline.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="A timeline of the Earth's history indicating when the Vredefort impact structure was formed in relation to some of the other important South African geological events. W indicates when the Witwatersrand Supergroup was laid down, C the Cape Supergroup, and K the Karoo Supergroup. The graph also indicates the period during which banded ironstone formations were formed on earth, indicative of an oxygen-free atmosphere. The Earth's crust was wholly or partially molten during the Hadean Eon. One of the first microcontinents to form was the Kaapvaal Craton, which is exposed at the centre of the Vredefort Dome, and again north of Johannesburg."><img alt="A timeline of the Earth's history indicating when the Vredefort impact structure was formed in relation to some of the other important South African geological events. W indicates when the Witwatersrand Supergroup was laid down, C the Cape Supergroup, and K the Karoo Supergroup. The graph also indicates the period during which banded ironstone formations were formed on earth, indicative of an oxygen-free atmosphere. The Earth's crust was wholly or partially molten during the Hadean Eon. One of the first microcontinents to form was the Kaapvaal Craton, which is exposed at the centre of the Vredefort Dome, and again north of Johannesburg." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Earth%27s_geolological_timeline.svg/500px-Earth%27s_geolological_timeline.svg.png" decoding="async" width="500" height="167" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Earth%27s_geolological_timeline.svg/750px-Earth%27s_geolological_timeline.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Earth%27s_geolological_timeline.svg/1000px-Earth%27s_geolological_timeline.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="990" data-file-height="330" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">A timeline of the Earth's history indicating when the Vredefort impact structure was formed in relation to some of the other important <a href="/wiki/South_Africa#Geography" title="South Africa">South African</a> geological events. <b>W</b> indicates when the <a href="/wiki/Witwatersrand_Basin" class="mw-redirect" title="Witwatersrand Basin">Witwatersrand Supergroup</a> was laid down, <b>C</b> the <a href="/wiki/Cape_Fold_Belt" title="Cape Fold Belt">Cape Supergroup</a>, and <b>K</b> the <a href="/wiki/Karoo_Supergroup" title="Karoo Supergroup">Karoo Supergroup</a>. The graph also indicates the period during which <a href="/wiki/Banded_iron_formation" title="Banded iron formation">banded ironstone formations</a> were formed on earth, indicative of an <a href="/wiki/Great_Oxygenation_Event" class="mw-redirect" title="Great Oxygenation Event">oxygen-free atmosphere</a>. The Earth's crust was wholly or partially molten during the Hadean Eon. One of the first microcontinents to form was the <a href="/wiki/Kaapvaal_Craton" title="Kaapvaal Craton">Kaapvaal Craton</a>, which is exposed at the centre of the Vredefort Dome, and again north of Johannesburg.</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 535px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 530px; height: 200px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Vredefort_crater_cross_section_2.png" class="mw-file-description" title="A schematic diagram of a NE (left) to SW (right) cross-section through the 2.020-billion-year-old Vredefort impact structure and how it distorted the contemporary geological structures. The present erosion level is shown. Johannesburg is where the Witwatersrand Basin (the yellow layer) is exposed at the "present surface" line, just inside the impact structure's rim, on the left. Not to scale."><img alt="A schematic diagram of a NE (left) to SW (right) cross-section through the 2.020-billion-year-old Vredefort impact structure and how it distorted the contemporary geological structures. The present erosion level is shown. Johannesburg is where the Witwatersrand Basin (the yellow layer) is exposed at the "present surface" line, just inside the impact structure's rim, on the left. Not to scale." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Vredefort_crater_cross_section_2.png/500px-Vredefort_crater_cross_section_2.png" decoding="async" width="500" height="154" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Vredefort_crater_cross_section_2.png/750px-Vredefort_crater_cross_section_2.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Vredefort_crater_cross_section_2.png/1000px-Vredefort_crater_cross_section_2.png 2x" data-file-width="3324" data-file-height="1024" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">A schematic diagram of a NE (left) to SW (right) cross-section through the 2.020-billion-year-old Vredefort impact structure and how it distorted the contemporary geological structures. The present erosion level is shown. Johannesburg is where the Witwatersrand Basin (the yellow layer) is exposed at the "present surface" line, just inside the impact structure's rim, on the left. Not to scale.</div> </li> </ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Conservation">Conservation</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Vredefort_impact_structure&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Conservation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site is currently subject to property development, and local owners have expressed concern regarding sewage dumping into the Vaal River and the impact structure.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The granting of prospecting rights around the edges of the impact structure has led environmental interests to express fear of destructive mining. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Community">Community</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Vredefort_impact_structure&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Community"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Vredefort Dome in the centre of the impact structure is home to four towns: <a href="/wiki/Parys" title="Parys">Parys</a>, Vredefort, <a href="/wiki/Koppies" title="Koppies">Koppies</a> and <a href="/wiki/Venterskroon" title="Venterskroon">Venterskroon</a>. Parys is the largest and a tourist hub; both Vredefort and Koppies mainly depend on an agricultural economy. </p><p>On 19 December 2011, a broadcasting licence was granted by <a href="/wiki/Independent_Communications_Authority_of_South_Africa" title="Independent Communications Authority of South Africa">ICASA</a> to a community radio station to broadcast for the Afrikaans- and English-speaking members of the communities within the impact structure. The Afrikaans name <i>Koepel</i> Stereo (Dome Stereo) refers to the dome and announces its broadcast as KSFM. The station broadcasts on 94.9 MHz FM. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Vredefort_impact_structure&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239009302">.mw-parser-output .portalbox{padding:0;margin:0.5em 0;display:table;box-sizing:border-box;max-width:175px;list-style:none}.mw-parser-output .portalborder{border:1px solid var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1);padding:0.1em;background:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#f8f9fa)}.mw-parser-output .portalbox-entry{display:table-row;font-size:85%;line-height:110%;height:1.9em;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .portalbox-image{display:table-cell;padding:0.2em;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .portalbox-link{display:table-cell;padding:0.2em 0.2em 0.2em 0.3em;vertical-align:middle}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .portalleft{clear:left;float:left;margin:0.5em 1em 0.5em 0}.mw-parser-output .portalright{clear:right;float:right;margin:0.5em 0 0.5em 1em}}</style><ul role="navigation" aria-label="Portals" class="noprint portalbox portalborder portalright"> <li class="portalbox-entry"><span class="portalbox-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:WikiProject_Geology.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="icon" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/WikiProject_Geology.svg/28px-WikiProject_Geology.svg.png" decoding="async" width="28" height="28" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/WikiProject_Geology.svg/42px-WikiProject_Geology.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/WikiProject_Geology.svg/56px-WikiProject_Geology.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="327" data-file-height="328" /></a></span></span><span class="portalbox-link"><a href="/wiki/Portal:Geology" title="Portal:Geology">Geology portal</a></span></li><li class="portalbox-entry"><span class="portalbox-image"><span class="mw-image-border noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="flag" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Flag_of_South_Africa.svg/32px-Flag_of_South_Africa.svg.png" decoding="async" width="32" height="21" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Flag_of_South_Africa.svg/48px-Flag_of_South_Africa.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Flag_of_South_Africa.svg/64px-Flag_of_South_Africa.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600" /></span></span></span><span class="portalbox-link"><a href="/wiki/Portal:South_Africa" title="Portal:South Africa">South Africa portal</a></span></li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_impact_structures_on_Earth" title="List of impact structures on Earth">List of impact structures on Earth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_possible_impact_structures_on_Earth" title="List of possible impact structures on Earth">List of possible impact structures on Earth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Deniliquin_multiple-ring_feature" title="Deniliquin multiple-ring feature">Deniliquin multiple-ring feature</a></li></ul> <div style="clear:both;" class=""></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Vredefort_impact_structure&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-UR-2022-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-UR-2022_1-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFUniversity_of_Rochester2022" class="citation web cs1">University of Rochester (26 September 2022). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://phys.org/news/2022-09-asteroid-vredefort-crater-bigger-previously.html">"The asteroid that formed Vredefort crater was bigger than previously believed"</a>. Science X. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220926202131/https://phys.org/news/2022-09-asteroid-vredefort-crater-bigger-previously.html">Archived</a> from the original on 26 September 2022.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+asteroid+that+formed+Vredefort+crater+was+bigger+than+previously+believed&rft.pub=Science+X&rft.date=2022-09-26&rft.au=University+of+Rochester&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fphys.org%2Fnews%2F2022-09-asteroid-vredefort-crater-bigger-previously.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AVredefort+impact+structure" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:0-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:0_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHuberKovalevaRaeTisato2023" class="citation journal cs1">Huber, M. S.; Kovaleva, E.; Rae, A. S. P.; Tisato, N.; Gulick, S. P. S. (August 2023). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1029%2F2022JE007721">"Can Archean Impact Structures Be Discovered? A Case Study From Earth's Largest, Most Deeply Eroded Impact Structure"</a>. <i>Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets</i>. <b>128</b> (8). <a href="/wiki/Bibcode_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Bibcode (identifier)">Bibcode</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023JGRE..12807721H">2023JGRE..12807721H</a>. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<span class="id-lock-free" title="Freely accessible"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1029%2F2022JE007721">10.1029/2022JE007721</a></span>. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2169-9097">2169-9097</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Geophysical+Research%3A+Planets&rft.atitle=Can+Archean+Impact+Structures+Be+Discovered%3F+A+Case+Study+From+Earth%27s+Largest%2C+Most+Deeply+Eroded+Impact+Structure&rft.volume=128&rft.issue=8&rft.date=2023-08&rft.issn=2169-9097&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1029%2F2022JE007721&rft_id=info%3Abibcode%2F2023JGRE..12807721H&rft.aulast=Huber&rft.aufirst=M.+S.&rft.au=Kovaleva%2C+E.&rft.au=Rae%2C+A.+S.+P.&rft.au=Tisato%2C+N.&rft.au=Gulick%2C+S.+P.+S.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1029%252F2022JE007721&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AVredefort+impact+structure" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:1-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:1_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_3-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAllenNakajimaWünnemannHelhoski2022" class="citation journal cs1">Allen, Natalie H.; Nakajima, Miki; Wünnemann, Kai; Helhoski, Søren; Trail, Dustin (2022). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1029%2F2022JE007186">"A Revision of the Formation Conditions of the Vredefort Crater"</a>. <i>Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets</i>. <b>127</b> (8): e2022JE007186. <a href="/wiki/Bibcode_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Bibcode (identifier)">Bibcode</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022JGRE..12707186A">2022JGRE..12707186A</a>. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<span class="id-lock-free" title="Freely accessible"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1029%2F2022JE007186">10.1029/2022JE007186</a></span>. <a href="/wiki/S2CID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="S2CID (identifier)">S2CID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:251449730">251449730</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Geophysical+Research%3A+Planets&rft.atitle=A+Revision+of+the+Formation+Conditions+of+the+Vredefort+Crater&rft.volume=127&rft.issue=8&rft.pages=e2022JE007186&rft.date=2022&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.semanticscholar.org%2FCorpusID%3A251449730%23id-name%3DS2CID&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1029%2F2022JE007186&rft_id=info%3Abibcode%2F2022JGRE..12707186A&rft.aulast=Allen&rft.aufirst=Natalie+H.&rft.au=Nakajima%2C+Miki&rft.au=W%C3%BCnnemann%2C+Kai&rft.au=Helhoski%2C+S%C3%B8ren&rft.au=Trail%2C+Dustin&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1029%252F2022JE007186&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AVredefort+impact+structure" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-McCarthy-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-McCarthy_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-McCarthy_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-McCarthy_4-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-McCarthy_4-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-McCarthy_4-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-McCarthy_4-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMcCarthy2005" class="citation book cs1">McCarthy, Terence (2005). <i>The Story of Earth & Life</i>. 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Council for Geoscience, Geological Survey of South Africa.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMomberg,_Eleanor2009" class="citation web cs1">Momberg, Eleanor (23 August 2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/river-heading-for-the-rocks-1.456012">"River heading for the rocks"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">22 March</span> 2011</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=River+heading+for+the+rocks&rft.date=2009-08-23&rft.au=Momberg%2C+Eleanor&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iol.co.za%2Fnews%2Fsouth-africa%2Friver-heading-for-the-rocks-1.456012&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AVredefort+impact+structure" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Vredefort_impact_structure&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid 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data-file-height="1376" /></span></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikimedia Commons has media related to <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Vredefort_Dome" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:Vredefort Dome">Vredefort Dome</a></span>.</div></div> </div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.parys.co.za/">Parys South Africa</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160601234203/https://www.wits.ac.za/science/schools/geosciences/research/impact-crater-research/">Impact Cratering Research Group – University of the Witwatersrand</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.passc.net/EarthImpactDatabase/New%20website_05-2018/Vredefort.html">Earth Impact Database</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.hartrao.ac.za/other/vredefort/vredefort.html">Deep Impact – The Vredefort Dome</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-27.016754,27.435608&spn=0.632744,0.962814&t=k&hl=en">Satellite image of Vredefort impact structure</a> from <a href="/wiki/Google_Maps" title="Google Maps">Google Maps</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://lithosphere.univie.ac.at/impactresearch/impact-cratering/">Impact Cratering: an overview of Mineralogical and Geochemical aspects – University of Vienna</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110706085435/http://lithosphere.univie.ac.at/impactresearch/impact-cratering/">Archived</a> 2011-07-06 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.thinklemon.com/ge/impact-top25.kmz">Google Earth 3d .KMZ of 25 largest craters</a> (requires <a href="/wiki/Google_Earth" title="Google Earth">Google Earth</a>)</li></ul> <div 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Humankind</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Makapansgat" title="Makapansgat">Makapan Valley</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Taung" title="Taung">Taung Child</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/ISimangaliso_Wetland_Park" title="ISimangaliso Wetland Park">iSimangaliso Wetland Park</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Mapungubwe" title="Kingdom of Mapungubwe">Mapungubwe</a> <span style="font-size:85%;">Cultural Landscape</span></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Richtersveld" title="Richtersveld">Richtersveld</a> <span style="font-size:85%;">Cultural and Botanical Landscape</span></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Robben_Island" title="Robben Island">Robben Island</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maloti-Drakensberg_Park" title="Maloti-Drakensberg Park">Maloti-Drakensberg Park</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vredefort_Dome" class="mw-redirect" title="Vredefort Dome">Vredefort Dome</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/%C7%80Xam_and_%C7%82Khomani_heartland" title="ǀXam and ǂKhomani heartland">ǀXam and ǂKhomani heartland</a></li></ul> </div></td><td class="noviewer navbox-image" rowspan="1" style="width:1px;padding:0 0 0 2px"><div><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/South_Africa" title="South Africa"><img alt="South Africa" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Flag_of_South_Africa.svg/58px-Flag_of_South_Africa.svg.png" decoding="async" width="58" height="39" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Flag_of_South_Africa.svg/87px-Flag_of_South_Africa.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Flag_of_South_Africa.svg/116px-Flag_of_South_Africa.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600" /></a></span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Impact_cratering_on_Earth" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="3" style="background-color:#c8b890;"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Impact_cratering_on_Earth" title="Template:Impact cratering on Earth"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Impact_cratering_on_Earth" title="Template talk:Impact cratering on Earth"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Impact_cratering_on_Earth" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Impact cratering on Earth"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Impact_cratering_on_Earth" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/List_of_impact_structures_on_Earth" title="List of impact structures on Earth">Impact cratering on Earth</a></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="3" style="background-color:#c8b890;"><div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Impact_crater" title="Impact crater">Impact crater</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Impact_event" title="Impact event">Impact event</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background-color:#c8b890;;width:1%">Lists</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_impact_structures_on_Earth" title="List of impact structures on Earth">Worldwide</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_impact_structures_in_Africa" title="List of impact structures in Africa">Africa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_impact_structures_in_Antarctica" title="List of impact structures in Antarctica">Antarctica</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_impact_structures_in_Asia_and_Russia" title="List of impact structures in Asia and Russia">Asia and Russia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_impact_structures_in_Australia" title="List of impact structures in Australia">Australia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_impact_structures_in_Europe" title="List of impact structures in Europe">Europe</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_impact_structures_in_North_America" title="List of impact structures in North America">North America</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_impact_structures_in_South_America" title="List of impact structures in South America">South America</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Impact_craters_by_country" title="Category:Impact craters by country">By country</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_possible_impact_structures_on_Earth" title="List of possible impact structures on Earth">Possible</a></li></ul> </div></td><td class="noviewer navbox-image" rowspan="4" style="width:1px;padding:0 0 0 2px"><div><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Pingualuit_aerial_2007.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Pingualuit_aerial_2007.jpg/120px-Pingualuit_aerial_2007.jpg" decoding="async" width="120" height="80" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Pingualuit_aerial_2007.jpg/180px-Pingualuit_aerial_2007.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Pingualuit_aerial_2007.jpg/240px-Pingualuit_aerial_2007.jpg 2x" data-file-width="6000" data-file-height="4000" /></a></span><br /><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Craterstructure.gif" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Craterstructure.gif/120px-Craterstructure.gif" decoding="async" width="120" height="109" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Craterstructure.gif/180px-Craterstructure.gif 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Craterstructure.gif/240px-Craterstructure.gif 2x" data-file-width="789" data-file-height="715" /></a></span></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background-color:#c8b890;;width:1%">Confirmed<div style="clear:both;" class=""></div>≥20 km diameter</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Acraman_impact_structure" title="Acraman impact structure">Acraman</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Amelia_Creek_crater" title="Amelia Creek crater">Amelia Creek</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Araguainha_crater" title="Araguainha crater">Araguainha</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Beaverhead_impact_structure" title="Beaverhead impact structure">Beaverhead</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Boltysh_crater" title="Boltysh crater">Boltysh</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Carswell_impact_structure" title="Carswell impact structure">Carswell</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charlevoix_impact_structure" title="Charlevoix impact structure">Charlevoix</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay_impact_crater" title="Chesapeake Bay impact crater">Chesapeake Bay</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chicxulub_crater" title="Chicxulub crater">Chicxulub</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Clearwater_Lakes" title="Clearwater Lakes">Clearwater East and West</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gosses_Bluff_impact_structure" title="Gosses Bluff impact structure">Gosses Bluff</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Haughton_impact_crater" title="Haughton impact crater">Haughton</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kamensk_crater" title="Kamensk crater">Kamensk</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kara_crater" title="Kara crater">Kara</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Karakul_(Tajikistan)" title="Karakul (Tajikistan)">Karakul</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Keurusselk%C3%A4" title="Keurusselkä">Keurusselkä</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lake_Lappaj%C3%A4rvi" title="Lake Lappajärvi">Lappajärvi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Logancha_crater" title="Logancha crater">Logancha</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Manicouagan_impact_structure" class="mw-redirect" title="Manicouagan impact structure">Manicouagan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Manson_impact_structure" title="Manson impact structure">Manson</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mistastin_crater" title="Mistastin crater">Mistastin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mj%C3%B8lnir_crater" title="Mjølnir crater">Mjølnir</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Montagnais_crater" title="Montagnais crater">Montagnais</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Morokweng_impact_structure" title="Morokweng impact structure">Morokweng</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/N%C3%B6rdlinger_Ries" title="Nördlinger Ries">Nördlinger Ries</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Obolon%27_crater" title="Obolon' crater">Obolon'</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Popigai_impact_structure" title="Popigai impact structure">Popigai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Presqu%27%C3%AEle_crater" title="Presqu'île crater">Presqu'île</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Puchezh-Katunki_crater" title="Puchezh-Katunki crater">Puchezh-Katunki</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rochechouart_impact_structure" title="Rochechouart impact structure">Rochechouart</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saint_Martin_impact_structure" title="Saint Martin impact structure">Saint Martin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shoemaker_impact_structure" title="Shoemaker impact structure">Shoemaker</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Siljan_Ring" title="Siljan Ring">Siljan Ring</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Slate_Islands_(Ontario)" title="Slate Islands (Ontario)">Slate Islands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Steen_River_impact_structure" title="Steen River impact structure">Steen River</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Strangways_crater" title="Strangways crater">Strangways</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sudbury_Basin" title="Sudbury Basin">Sudbury</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tookoonooka_impact_structure" title="Tookoonooka impact structure">Tookoonooka</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tunnunik_impact_structure" title="Tunnunik impact structure">Tunnunik</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Vredefort</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Woodleigh_impact_structure" title="Woodleigh impact structure">Woodleigh</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yarrabubba_impact_structure" title="Yarrabubba impact structure">Yarrabubba</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background-color:#c8b890;;width:1%">Topics</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alvarez_hypothesis" title="Alvarez hypothesis">Alvarez hypothesis</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Australite" title="Australite">Australite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Breccia" title="Breccia">Breccia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Coesite" title="Coesite">Coesite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Complex_crater" title="Complex crater">Complex crater</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cretaceous%E2%80%93Paleogene_boundary" title="Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary">Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cryptoexplosion" title="Cryptoexplosion">Cryptoexplosion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ejecta_blanket" title="Ejecta blanket">Ejecta blanket</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Impact_crater" title="Impact crater">Impact crater</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Impact_structure" title="Impact structure">Impact structure</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Impactite" title="Impactite">Impactite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Late_Heavy_Bombardment" title="Late Heavy Bombardment">Late Heavy Bombardment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lechatelierite" title="Lechatelierite">Lechatelierite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Meteorite" title="Meteorite">Meteorite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moldavite" title="Moldavite">Moldavite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ordovician_meteor_event" title="Ordovician meteor event">Ordovician meteor event</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Philippinite" title="Philippinite">Philippinite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Planar_deformation_features" title="Planar deformation features">Planar deformation features</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shatter_cone" title="Shatter cone">Shatter cone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shock_metamorphism" title="Shock metamorphism">Shock metamorphism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shocked_quartz" title="Shocked quartz">Shocked quartz</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stishovite" title="Stishovite">Stishovite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Suevite" title="Suevite">Suevite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tektite" title="Tektite">Tektite</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background-color:#c8b890;;width:1%">Research</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ralph_Belknap_Baldwin" title="Ralph Belknap Baldwin">Ralph Belknap Baldwin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Daniel_Barringer_(geologist)" title="Daniel Barringer (geologist)">Daniel Barringer</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Barringer_Medal" title="Barringer Medal">Barringer Medal</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Edward_C._T._Chao" title="Edward C. T. Chao">Edward C. T. Chao</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Robert_S._Dietz" title="Robert S. Dietz">Robert S. Dietz</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/William_Kenneth_Hartmann" title="William Kenneth Hartmann">William Kenneth Hartmann</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/H._Jay_Melosh" title="H. Jay Melosh">H. Jay Melosh</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Graham_Ryder" title="Graham Ryder">Graham Ryder</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peter_H._Schultz" title="Peter H. Schultz">Peter H. Schultz</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eugene_Merle_Shoemaker" title="Eugene Merle Shoemaker">Eugene Merle Shoemaker</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Earth_Impact_Database" title="Earth Impact Database">Earth Impact Database</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Impact_Field_Studies_Group" title="Impact Field Studies Group">Impact Field Studies Group</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lunar_and_Planetary_Institute" title="Lunar and Planetary Institute">Lunar and Planetary Institute</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Traces_of_Catastrophe" title="Traces of Catastrophe">Traces of Catastrophe</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vredefort_impact_structure&oldid=1255115284">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vredefort_impact_structure&oldid=1255115284</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Extinction_events" title="Category:Extinction events">Extinction events</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Impact_craters_of_South_Africa" title="Category:Impact craters of South Africa">Impact craters of South Africa</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Landforms_of_the_Free_State_(province)" title="Category:Landforms of the Free State (province)">Landforms of the Free State (province)</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Proterozoic_impact_craters" title="Category:Proterozoic impact craters">Proterozoic impact craters</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:World_Heritage_Sites_in_South_Africa" title="Category:World Heritage Sites in South Africa">World Heritage Sites in South Africa</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Pages_using_gadget_WikiMiniAtlas" title="Category:Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas">Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_is_different_from_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description is different from Wikidata">Short description is different from Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Use_dmy_dates_from_July_2022" title="Category:Use dmy dates from July 2022">Use dmy dates from July 2022</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Use_South_African_English_from_July_2022" title="Category:Use South African English from July 2022">Use South African English from July 2022</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:All_Wikipedia_articles_written_in_South_African_English" title="Category:All Wikipedia articles written in South African English">All Wikipedia articles written in South African English</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Coordinates_on_Wikidata" title="Category:Coordinates on Wikidata">Coordinates on Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Commons_category_link_is_on_Wikidata" title="Category:Commons category link is on Wikidata">Commons category link is on Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Webarchive_template_wayback_links" title="Category:Webarchive template wayback links">Webarchive template wayback links</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 3 November 2024, at 06:24<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. 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