Rochechouart Crater

Rochechouart Crater

Rochechouart is an impact crater in France. Its diameter is estimated to be about 21 km (13 mi). Its most recent age estimate is 201 ±2 million years ago, placing it close to Triassic-Jurassic boundary. Since then the crater has been deeply eroded, and no trace of its original surface morphology is visible. The crater appears to be too small to account for the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event.

Its centre is tentatively located at the hamlet of La Judie 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Rochechouart, in the Haute-Vienne département; its surface extent includes the communes and villages of Rochechouart, Chaillac, Étagnac, Pressignac, Lésignac-Durand, Saint-Quentin-sur-Charente, Chéronnac, Chassenon and Chabanais.

The remnants of this astrobleme have been a major subject of debate among geologists since their discovery in the early 19th century. The explanation was only given in 1969 by the French geologist François Kraut, who definitely proved the impact origin of the breccias.

The Rochechouart impact crater was the first crater the nature of which was proven by the determination of the impact effects on the rocks, without any circular topographic features being visible.