Free Astronomy Magazine May-June 2023

10 MAY-JUNE 2023 ASTRO PUBLISHING S ome of the more than one hundred iron oxide spherules found by Brenker's team inside Le Clot Crater. One of the processes that originates them is the im- pact of a meteoroid with the atmosphere and the ground. [F.E. Brenker et al.] T he enlargement on the right of one of the spherules found in the Le Clot area shows traces of an iron-nickel alloy typi- cal of metallic mete- orites. Brenker's team also found com- posite spherules (two or more fused to- gether), another indi- cator of a possible high-speed collision. [F.E. Brenker et al.] his article, Beals was engaged in the creation of the first catalog of terrestrial impact craters and also traveled to Europe to visit some crater candidates, including those in Hérault. These were his conclusions: “In reviewing the evidence pre- sented above, most weight on the five craters near Cabrerolles and Faugères is naturally attached to that from Le Clot, in view of its large size, the clear delineation of its pro- file and the numerous rock outcrops occurring within its circumference. Since conditions at Le Clot were on the whole excellent for the detec- tion of the unusual and diagnostic attitudes of sediments commonly as- sociated with a meteorite crater, the fact that such attitudes were not ob- served seems a rather strong evi- dence against a meteoritic origin for this feature. Less strong but by no means negligible evidence is the ab- sence of a raised rim surrounding the crater. While the irregularity of the surrounding terrain might have partially obscured such a feature, it is very unlikely that it would have been completely concealed. It would appear, therefore, that only if some new and completely unequivocal piece of positive evidence were dis- covered, would we be justified in continuing to regard Le Clot as a meteorite crater. Similar considera- tions apply to the other four craters examined. In no case was any posi- tive evidence adduced to connect these features with meteorite im- pact. It is questionable, therefore, whether it is justifiable to retain even as a working hypothesis, the idea that the group of craters in the