Chicxulub Crater Collapse Calculations
 

Motivated by new insight into the collapse process gleaned from the seismic data recently recorded over the Chicxulub impact structure, we have used the same computer technique to simulate the collapse of the most famous terrestrial crater - the Chicxulub crater. Right and below are artists' impressions of the moments just before and a few days after impact 65 million years ago (Pictures courtesy of NASA).

Below are two animations depicting the results of our initial simulations. The 100km diameter transient crater can be seen to collapse inwards and upwards forming a rapidly rising central mound that soars 25km above the target surface (3 times the height of Mount Everest). The central uplift then collapses back downwards an outwards to produce an internal ring analogous to the peak-ring inside the Chicxulub impact structure (above). The collapse lasts only 5-10 minutes.