The Saarland Impact refers to a region in Saarland, Germany, identified as an impact structure characterized by two craters, Nalbach and Saarlouis. This impact structure was only discovered and researched in recent years and is of particular interest because it provides evidence of a meteorite impact with strong shock wave metamorphism and other typical impact features.
The two craters:
- Nalbach crater: A smaller crater with a diameter of about 200 meters.
- Saarlouis crater: A larger crater with a diameter of about 2.3 kilometers, also known as a “semi-crater” because it is partially eroded.
Significance and special features:
- The craters are not isolated, but part of a larger strewn field created by a low-altitude touchdown airburst impact..
- The discovery of strongly metamorphosed rocks (impactites), including impact glasses, polymictic breccias, and shock shatter cones, indicates a strong impact.
- The discovery of impactites in association with human bones beneath a church in Nalbach rules out human or industrial causes for the rocks.
- The investigation of carbon-rich, foam-like rocks classified as “glass-like carbons” (chiemite) revealed that they originate from charred spruce wood remains that were altered by the impact.
- Radiocarbon dating of the rocks indicates an influence from the impact, which invalidates the organic age determinations.
- The discovery of osbornite, a very rare meteorite mineral, in the impact rocks is also noteworthy.
State of research:
- The Saarland impact has been the subject of intensive research for several years, with research papers regularly presented at international conferences such as the LPSC (Lunar & Planetary Science Conference) and the AGU (American Geophysical Union).
- There have also been public events with lectures and exhibitions to make the results of the research available to the public.
In summary, the Saarland impact is an important example of an impact structure that provides new insights into the effects of meteorite impacts through its craters, scatter field, and associated rocks.