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Paper Number: 4988

Vredefort Impact Structure: larger than previously thought?

Connelly D.P.1,

1MAPCIS Research, Millville, NJ 08332 USA

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The Vredefort Impact Structure has been a useful model for understanding the central

geomorphology of MAPCIS (Massive Australian Precambrian/Cambrian Impact Structure).

There is a remarkable similarity in:

  1. The size and shape of the magnetic intensity anomalies for both. They are both elongated with a define head and tail.

  2. The more distal pseudotachylite breccias for both are clustered around the head end of the magnetic intensity anomalies with similar distances from the defined impact centres.

  3. There are large bilateral areas of lesser impact effects defined by no Pseudotachylite breccias for Vredefort and surviving target layers for MAPCIS.

  4. The Witwatersrand Basin of Vredefort fits the Amadeus Basin of MAPCIS

There are significant differences between the impact structures. The much older Vredefort structure has been highly eroded with an exposed centre and with evidence of its outer rings missing. The much younger MAPCIS still has a buried centre, with an exposed intact ring structure. The current estimates for the maximum size of the Vredefort are mostly based on modelling. Using MAPCIS as a real world model, one can make the case that the Vredefort Impact Structure is larger than previously thought as the central structures are similar.