Multiple lines of evidence for a hypervelocity impact origin for the Silverpit Crater.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 40975714.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-63985-z and PMC identifier 12450236.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
An impact origin for Silverpit Crater, on the UK continental shelf, has been contested over the last two decades, with a lack of definitive evidence - traditionally petrographic evidence of shock metamorphism - to resolve the debate. Here we present 3D seismic, petrographic and biostratigraphic data, and numerical impact simulations to test the impact hypothesis. The seismic data provide exceptional imaging of the entire structure, confirming the presence of a central uplift, annular moat, damage zone and numerous secondary craters on the contemporaneous seabed. The distribution of normal and reverse faults in the brim, and curved radial faults around the central uplift suggest a low-angle impact from the west. The pitted, flat-topped central uplift at the top chalk horizon may indicate significant devolatilization of chalk immediately following impact. Biostratigraphic data confirm that this event occurred during the middle Eocene, between 43-46 million years ago. Petrographic analysis from the reworked ejecta sequence in the nearby 43/25-1 well reveals two grains with shock lamellae, indicating shock pressures of ~10-13 GPa, consistent with results from our numerical models. This combination of data and modelling provide compelling evidence that Silverpit Crater is an exceptionally preserved hypervelocity impact structure.