Vredefort impact structure

Vredefort impact structure
Vredefort impact structure
Vredefort Dome
	Vredefort Dome (centre), with the Vaal river running across it; seen from space with the Operational Land Imager on Landsat 8, 27 June 2018
Impact crater/structure
Confidence	Confirmed
Diameter	170–300 km (110–190 mi) (estimated former crater diameter)
Age	± 4 Ma; Orosirian, Paleoproterozoic
Exposed	Yes
Drilled	Yes
Location
Coordinates	27°0′0″S 27°30′0″E / 27.00000°S 27.50000°E
Country	South Africa
Province	Free State
	Location of Vredefort impact structure
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Vredefort Dome
Includes	Vredefort Dome core area; The stromatolite/basal fault plane site; The chocolate tablet breccia site; The pseudotachylite (quarry) site;
Criteria	Natural: (viii)
Reference	1162
Inscription	2005 (29th Session)
Area	30,000 ha (120 sq mi)

The Vredefort impact structure is the largest verified impact structure on Earth.^[1] The crater, which has since been eroded away, has been estimated at 170–300 kilometres (110–190 mi) across when it was formed.^[2]^[3] The remaining structure, comprising the deformed underlying bedrock, is located in present-day Free State province of South Africa. It is named after the town of Vredefort, which is near its centre. The structure's central uplift is known as the Vredefort Dome. The impact structure was formed during the Paleoproterozoic Era, 2.023 billion (± 4 million) years ago. It is the second-oldest known impact structure on Earth, after Yarrabubba.

In 2005, the Vredefort Dome was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for its geologic interest.

^ University of Rochester (26 September 2022). "The asteroid that formed Vredefort crater was bigger than previously believed". Science X. Archived from the original on 26 September 2022.
^ Huber, M. S.; Kovaleva, E.; Rae, A. S. P.; Tisato, N.; Gulick, S. P. S. (August 2023). "Can Archean Impact Structures Be Discovered? A Case Study From Earth's Largest, Most Deeply Eroded Impact Structure". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 128 (8). doi:10.1029/2022JE007721. ISSN 2169-9097.
^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[UR-2022-1] University of Rochester (26 September 2022). "The asteroid that formed Vredefort crater was bigger than previously believed". Science X. Archived from the original on 26 September 2022.

[:0-2] Huber, M. S.; Kovaleva, E.; Rae, A. S. P.; Tisato, N.; Gulick, S. P. S. (August 2023). "Can Archean Impact Structures Be Discovered? A Case Study From Earth's Largest, Most Deeply Eroded Impact Structure". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 128 (8). doi:10.1029/2022JE007721. ISSN 2169-9097.

[:1-3] Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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