shatter cones
Shock-fractured rock features
Shatter cones are distinctive cone-shaped fracture patterns in rock, formed when shock waves from a meteorite impact pass through the material.
The cones have grooved, striated surfaces radiating from the apex.
Geologists use shatter cones as diagnostic evidence of impact craters: The presence of shatter cones confirmed the ancient impact site.
Impact-deformed silica mineral
- high pressureStrong force per area
- shock wavesAbrupt pressure disturbances
- pressureForce upon contact
- deformationChange in shape
Impact or volcanic basin
- meteoriteSpace debris reaching Earth
- bolideDetonating meteor, very bright
- ejectaMaterial forcibly discharged
- brecciaCemented angular rock fragments
hypervelocity · collision · projectile · asteroid · comet · Sudbury
Parallel linear markings
- apexUppermost point or culmination
- horsetailJointed flowerless marsh plant
- fractureSplit in hard material
- conicalTapering to a point
radiating · grooves · surface features · orientation · nested · diverging · sculpture · geometry
Surfacing native stone
- diagnosticTest to identify problems
- indicatorSign revealing status
- identificationEstablishing who someone is
- sandstoneCemented grain sediment
limestone · granite · dolomite · crystalline · fine-grained · exposure · in situ · formation
shocked quartz
Impact-deformed silica mineral
- high pressureStrong force per area
- shock wavesAbrupt pressure disturbances
- pressureForce upon contact
deformation · compression · instantaneous · extreme conditions
crater
Impact or volcanic basin
- meteoriteSpace debris reaching Earth
- bolideDetonating meteor, very bright
- ejectaMaterial forcibly discharged
breccia · hypervelocity · collision · projectile · asteroid · comet · Sudbury
striations
Parallel linear markings
- apexUppermost point or culmination
- horsetailJointed flowerless marsh plant
- fractureSplit in hard material
conical · radiating · grooves · surface features · orientation · nested · diverging · sculpture · geometry
outcrop
Surfacing native stone
- diagnosticTest to identify problems
- indicatorSign revealing status
- identificationEstablishing who someone is
sandstone · limestone · granite · dolomite · crystalline · fine-grained · exposure · in situ · formation · bedrock
- meteor impactscraters, impact crater, impact craters, crater, meteorite
- meteoritesmeteorite, chondrites, chondrite, iron meteorite, micrometeorites
- Mineraloidsopal, obsidian, tektite, moldavite, fulgurite
shatter conesvolcanic formations
Geological features from eruptions
lava flows · volcanic bombs · stalactites · plutons · stalagmites
shatter conesstratification
Division into distinct levels
fossil beds · growth rings · concretions · glacial striations
shatter, shattered, shattering, shatters, shatterproof, cone-shaped, unshattered