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canvas prints illustration canvas prints diagram canvas prints impact canvas prints crater formation canvas prints astrophysics canvas prints bolide canvas prints asteroid canvas prints impactor canvas prints geological canvas prints astrophysical canvas prints geology canvas prints hitting canvas prints impact crater canvas prints kinetic energy canvas prints meteorite crater canvas prints

photographs illustration photos diagram photos impact photos crater formation photos astrophysics photos bolide photos asteroid photos impactor photos geological photos astrophysical photos geology photos hitting photos impact crater photos kinetic energy photos meteorite crater photos

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Illustration of the sequence of events as an impact crater forms. At top (excavation stage), the impactor (bolide), such as an asteroid, hits the surface, losing a lot of its kinetic energy. This lost kinetic energy heats and vaporizes the bolide and the rocks at the surface (end excavation stage) Some of the kinetic energy is dissipated as sound and light, and some is transferred to the surface, deforming it and throwing rock upwards and outwards (modification stage) as the blast wave widens the crater and forms the crater walls. The blast ejecta forms a blanket around the crater, with the rock layers (strata) reversed. This strata reversal is shown in the diagram at bottom (final crater), where the energy of impact has dissipated and the ground at the point of impact has rebounded, leaving a central peak.