Talemzane crater explained
Talemzane or madena (tamazight:ⵜⴰⵍⴻⵎⵣⴰⵏ Arabic:تالمزان/مادنة) is an impact crater in Algeria, 40 km south-east of Hassi Delaa (a small city).[1]
One of four such craters in the country, Talemzane is classified as a simple crater. It has been designated by the 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference to be a two-million- year-old, "true meteorite crater."[2]
Explored for the first time in 1928, studied in 1950 and 1988 by researchers from the universities of Oran (Algeria) and Nice (France). It is 1.75 km in diameter and the age is estimated to be less than three million years and is probably Pliocene.
The name Maadna come from Arabic for "depression of ore."
See also
Further reading
- Karpoff, R., A "meteorite" crater at Talemzane in southern Algeria, with discussion (in French). International Geological Congress, 19th, Algiers, pp. 233–241. 1954
- Karpoff, R., The meteorite crater of Talemzane in southern Algeria. Meteoritics, v. 1, pp. 31–38. 1953
- Koeberl, C., African meteorite impact craters: Characteristics and geological importance. Journal of African Sciences, v. 18, pp. 263–295. 1994
- Lambert, P., McHone, J.F. Jr., Dietz, R.S. and Houfani, M., Impact and impact-like structures in Algeria. Part I. Four bowl-shaped depressions. Meteoritics, v. 15, pp. 157–179. 1980
- Lambert, P., McHone, J.F. Jr., Dietz, R.S., Djender, M. and Briedj, M., Multi-ringed structures in Algeria: Ancient impact craters or not? (abstract). International Geological Congress, 26th, Paris, France, v. 3, pp. 1248. 1980
- McHone, J. F. Jr., Greeley, R., Talemzane: Algerian impact crater detected on SIR-A orbital imaging radar. Meteoritics, v. 22, pp. 253–264. 1987
- McHone, J. F. Jr., Lambert, P., Dietz, R.S. and Houfani, M., Bowl-shaped impact craters and circular depressions in Algeria (abstract). International Geological Congress, 26th, Paris, France, v. 3, p. 1250. 1980
- McHone, J. F. Jr., Lambert, P., Dietz, R.S. and Briedj, M., Impact structures in Algeria (abstract). Meteoritics, v. 15, pp. 331–332. 1980
Notes and References
- Talemzane. 2009-08-16.
- Belhai. D.. 2012. New Studies About the Maadna Impact Crater. 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. 32. 1111. Universities Space Research Association.
