[meteorite-list] Workshop: Impact Craters as Indicators for Planetary Environmental Evolution and Astrobiology

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Oct 26 13:34:30 2005
Message-ID: <200510261649.j9QGnbX16457_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.geo.su.se/Lockne2006

Impact craters as indicators for planetary environmental evolution and astrobiology
Ostersund (Sweden), June 8 - 14, 2006

FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT

Main economical sponsors:
- Swedish National Space Board
- Royal Swedish Academy of Science
- Swedish Research Council
- Centro de Astrobiologia (INTA/CSIC), Spain
- City of Ostersund
Additional sponsors:
- Impact Field Studies Group

Organizing committee:
- Hans Rickman (Uppsala University, Sweden)
- Jens Ormo (Centro de Astrobiologia, Spain)
- Maurits Lindstro"m (Stockholm University, Sweden)
- Jesus Martinez-Frias (Centro de Astrobiologia, Spain)

Reference group:
Alex Deutsch [Institute for Planetology- Mineralogy, University
of Mu"nster, Germany]
Henning Dypvik [Petroleum Geology and Geophysics Section of
the Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Norway]
Nils Holm [Stockholm Marine Research Centre, Stockholm University, Sweden]
Christian Koeberl [Department of Geological Sciences, University of
Vienna, Austria]
Peter Schultz [Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, USA]
Elizabeth Turtle [Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, Arizona, USA]

Aim of the Workshop

The workshop will focus on how the target properties influence the
morphology and geology of the resulting crater, and how knowledge of
these relations can be used to reconstruct present or past environments
on planets and natural satellites in the Solar System. This information
can be used to study the environmental changes that have occurred in the
history of the planet. Target properties are principally physical and
chemical, and include topography as well as variations in strength of
the materials.

Small impacts are more influenced by certain target properties than
large ones. The atmosphere may cause projectile disruption. Material
properties of the solid target may affect the crater shape. Crater
ing in fine-grained, compressible targets (e. g., clay) can indicate a
past wet climate on the presently dry-cold Mars. Craters from impacts
into volatile-rich targets (e.g., ice, clathrates, groundwater,
sulphates, carbonates, seawater) can give information on the climatic
and atmospheric evolution of the planet or satellite.

The city of Ostersund offers excellent workshop facilities as well as
proximity to the well preserved and well exposed Lockne crater. The
impact occurred in a sea at least 500 m deep. The approximately 7.5 km
wide topographic crater visible today does well represent the fresh
crater formed in the seafloor 455 million years ago. The crater is
an excellent example of how a low-strength layer in the target
affects the excavation flow, ejecta formation, and crater modification.
In addition, it is a rare example of an impact crater where the fresh
apparent crater had a much smaller diameter than the fully developed
transient cavity!

Marine-target craters on the Earth are gaining increased attention due
to the information they can provide on past environments, tsunami
hazards in coastal areas, and consequences on the climate due to
effects on the atmosphere. In addition, similar craters may exist
elsewhere in the Solar System where liquids exist, or may have
existed, in the target (e.g., Mars, Titan). The workshop will address
an international community active in all aspects of impact cratering
and reconstructions of planetary environments, such as geologists,
modelers, physicists, astronomers and astrobiologists.

Fieldtrips

Two fieldtrips to the Lockne marine-target crater are planned for the
first and last day of the workshop. The first excursion will be
focused on how the water in the target affected the excavation
process and how this is visible in the morphology and geology of
the crater. The second will emphasize the effects of water on the
crater modification (e.g., resurge).

Topical Sessions

- Terrestrial examples (e.g., known marine-target craters, craters
in poorly consolidated target, volatile target, layered targets,
influenced by topography).
- Examples from elsewhere in the Solar System (e.g., Mars, Venus,
satellites, asteroids, comets)
- The influence of target (e.g., water, sediments, porosity, volatiles,
topography, structures) during the Contact/Compression and Excavation
stages.
- The influence of target (e.g., water, sediments, porosity, volatiles,
topography, structures) on the crater modification.
- Distal consequences (e.g., physics of tsunami generation, influence
on atmosphere and climate)
- The record of impact-generated tsunamis.
- Ejecta/water interaction.
- The target's influence on the fate of the projectile (e.g., effect of
deep water, volatile-rich materials).
- Influence of the properties of the impactor on the cratering process.
- Crater lithologies and morphologies as paleoenvironmental indicators.
- Environments created by the impact and their importance for life.
- Astrobiological aspects of impact cratering.

Social Events

The preliminary plan includes an icebreaker party on the evening the day
of arrival, and a banquet in the Town Hall (Raadhuset) with local
specialties. We will also attend the inauguration of the GeoCenter-
Lockne Impact Crater Museum presently under construction in the village
of A"nge located inside the Lockne crater.

Schedule

October 31: Indication of interest deadline (*)
November 10: Second announcement posted at the meeting website
(www.geo.su.se/Lockne2006)
April 7, 2006: Deadline for Pre-registration, abstract submission and
application for student travel grant
May 10, 2006: Final announcement with program and abstracts posted on
the meeting website
June 8-14, 2006: Workshop on Impact Craters as Indicators for Planetary
Environmental Evolution and Astrobiology

(*) Indication of Interest should be sent by email to Jens Ormo
(ormo"at"inta.es ) [Exchange the "at" with a _at_] and include full
information on affiliation, potential title of presentation, and if
you intend to apply for the student travel support (Not yet set).

Proceedings

We are currently talking to the editors of possible journals in order
to publish selected papers related to this meeting as a special issue
of a peer-reviewed journal. More information will be provided in
upcoming announcements.

Further Information:

Dr. Jens Ormo
Planetary Geology Laboratory
Centro de Astrobiologia (CSIC/INTA)
Associated to the NASA Astrobiology Institute
Ctra de Ajalvir km. 4 28850 Torrejon de Ardoz, Madrid (Spain)

e-mail: ormo"at"inta.es
[Exchange the "at" with a _at_]
Received on Wed 26 Oct 2005 12:49:36 PM PDT