Tenoumer crater, Impact crater in western Sahara Desert, Mauritania.
Tenoumer crater is a circular depression in the western Sahara measuring 1.9 kilometers across, with walls that rise 110 meters above the surrounding desert floor. The formation displays clear evidence of the tremendous energy released during its creation.
The crater formed approximately 21,400 years ago when a meteorite struck the desert floor. Earlier research mistook it for a volcanic formation, but subsequent studies confirmed its origin from cosmic impact.
The crater serves as a field laboratory for international research teams studying Earth's geological transformations through impact events in North Africa.
The site lies far from established roads and settlements deep in the remote desert. Visitors need special permits and vehicles equipped for desert travel to reach this isolated location.
The crater floor contains a 300-meter-thick layer of sediment that preserves information about the geological changes after impact. The rocky walls show melted gneiss and granite as direct evidence of the intense heat generated by the cosmic event.
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