STUDY OF IMPACT CRATER FORMATION IN INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES OF NAS OF UKRAINE

Abstract

Study of impact crater formation in Institute of Geological Sciences of NAS of Ukraine continues from 70th of XX century. The works of the Institute’s staff and some another scientific organizations led to discovery on the Ukrainian Shield of eight reliable impact structures that allows to consider this territory as one of provinces of impact craters on the Earth surface. The interval of crater formation on the Ukrainian Shield is from 445 Ma, age of the Ilyinets crater, till 65 Ma – age of the Boltysh structure formation. Formation of the Boltysh crater at the cretaceous-tertiary boundary simultaneously with the terminal Chicxulub crater in Mexica has great interest for decoding of events of the global catastrophe that caused one of most heavy mass extinctions in the Earth history. Staff of the Institute discovered and studied the Zapadnaya structure with high content of impact diamonds in some rock types. Formation of the Obolon sreucture in shallow basin was determined. Diagnostics and continuing study in Institute of Geological Sciences NAS of Ukraine of the El’gygytgyn crater in Chukotka attracted the attention of the world scientific community to investigation of this structure using drilling of boreholes. The group of the Macha craters that we installed, still is the one evidence of meteorite crateriforming process on Aldan Shield. Proof of impact origin of the Kamenetsk structure on the Ukrainian Shield in 2017 may indicate preservation of some reserve of impact structures not yet established.