Marquez crater is a meteorite crater located in Leon County, Texas near the small town of Marquez about 177 km (110 mi) northeast of Austin, Texas, United States.[1]
Marquez crater | |
---|---|
Impact crater/structure | |
Diameter | 12.7 km (8 mi) |
Age | 58 ± 2 million years |
Exposed | No |
Drilled | Yes |
Location | |
Location | Marquez, Texas, United States |
Coordinates | 31°17′N 96°18′W / 31.283°N 96.300°W |
Country | United States |
Region | US-TX |
State | Texas |
District | Leon County, TX |
Marquez crater Location of Marquez crater in Texas | |
Access | State Highway 7 |
It is 12.7 km (8 mi) in diameter and the age is estimated to be 58 ± 2 million years (Paleocene). The crater is not exposed at the surface, but some surface formations including the Marquez Dome are thought to be exposed portions of the rebound peak.[2] This includes a circular region of disturbed Cretaceous sedimentary rocks roughly 1.2 km (0.75 mi) in diameter at the surface. This may be associated with a central peak rising at least 1,120 m (3,670 ft) above the base of the buried crater.[3] The uplift was initially thought to indicate an underlying salt dome by early investigators, but this origin was ruled out by reflection seismology and the discovery of features like shatter cones strongly associated with meteoric origin.[4]