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

[Ron Baalke]

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 @] 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 @]