Burckle Crater

Burckle Crater is an undersea feature hypothesized to be an impact crater by the Holocene Impact Working Group. They considered that it likely was formed by a very-large-scale and relatively recent (c. 2800–3000 BC) comet or meteorite impact event. It is estimated to be about 30 km (18 mi) in diameter, hence about 25 times larger than Meteor Crater.

Its proposed location is to the east of Madagascar and west of Western Australia in the southern Indian ocean adjacent to the SW Indian Ocean Ridge. Its position was determined in 2006 by the same group using evidence of its existence from prehistoric chevron dune formations in Australia and Madagascar that allowed them to triangulate its location. But the theory that these chevron dunes are due to tsunamis has been challenged by geologists Jody Bourgeois and R. Weiss. Using a computer model to simulate a tsunami, they argue that the structures are more consistent with aeolian processes. The tsunamis origin of these chevrons is also disputed by other Earth scientists.

Burckle Crater lies at 30°51′54″S 61°21′54″E / 30.865°S 61.365°E / -30.865; 61.365Coordinates: 30°51′54″S 61°21′54″E / 30.865°S 61.365°E / -30.865; 61.365 in the Indian Ocean and is 12,500 feet (3,800 m) below the surface.