Gulf of Tomini

Is the Teluk Tomini - the gulf on the Equator surrounded by the
graceful arc of Sulawesi (the Celebes) - possibly an impact crater?
(I am not referring to volcanic craters.)

(Axel Harvey) wrote in message . com...
Is the Teluk Tomini - the gulf on the Equator surrounded by the
graceful arc of Sulawesi (the Celebes) - possibly an impact crater?
(I am not referring to volcanic craters.)

"The radial-concentric structure is an intriguing one, and invites
consideration of the impact option. "
http://users.indigo.net.au/don/re/looking.html

The problem with it being an impact structure is the protracted growth
of all the related elements - unless we can think of the aftermath of
really big impacts happening in 'slow motion'. If it is an impact
structure, the most likely candidate was the Moon, when the Earth was
much smaller: impact ignites some sort of nuclear fire in the core.
Maybe?

(don findlay) wrote:

(Axel Harvey) had written:

Is the Teluk Tomini - the gulf on the Equator surrounded by the
graceful arc of Sulawesi (the Celebes) - possibly an impact crater?
(I am not referring to volcanic craters.)

"The radial-concentric structure is an intriguing one, and invites
consideration of the impact option. "
http://users.indigo.net.au/don/re/looking.html

The problem with it being an impact structure is the protracted growth
of all the related elements - unless we can think of the aftermath of
really big impacts happening in 'slow motion'. If it is an impact
structure, the most likely candidate was the Moon, when the Earth was
much smaller: impact ignites some sort of nuclear fire in the core.
Maybe?

Could you expand on your answer? I am not an Earth scientist, and
the Moon is still up there...

"Axel Harvey" wrote in message
om...
Is the Teluk Tomini - the gulf on the Equator surrounded by the
graceful arc of Sulawesi (the Celebes) - possibly an impact crater?
(I am not referring to volcanic craters).

A.H.:

There is no evidence for that. Shocked quartz, high-pressure quartz
polymorphs,diaplectic glass in any plagioclase, impact breccias, shatter
cones ,signatures of telltale extraterrestrial elemental concentrations and
the distinctive bulge
of basement rocks in a crater--all of which are indicative of impact sites--
are lacking in the Tomini area. Furthermore, Indonesia has the largest
population of volcanos on the globe and the movement of the sea floor under
Northern Sulawesi contributes to the ring of fire having overseen the many
eruptions of volcanos and explosions of volcanic islands
in the Gulf of Tomini which have been recorded throughout this and the last
century. Another factor militating against your mentioned possibility is
that the pyroclastic deposits in the area are all explicably volcanic in
origin.

I hope that helps.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

(Axel Harvey) wrote in message . com...
(don findlay) wrote:

(Axel Harvey) had written:

Is the Teluk Tomini - the gulf on the Equator surrounded by the
graceful arc of Sulawesi (the Celebes) - possibly an impact crater?
(I am not referring to volcanic craters.)

"The radial-concentric structure is an intriguing one, and invites
consideration of the impact option. "
http://users.indigo.net.au/don/re/looking.html

The problem with it being an impact structure is the protracted growth
of all the related elements - unless we can think of the aftermath of
really big impacts happening in 'slow motion'. If it is an impact
structure, the most likely candidate was the Moon, when the Earth was
much smaller: impact ignites some sort of nuclear fire in the core.
Maybe?

Could you expand on your answer? I am not an Earth scientist, and
the Moon is still up there...

I'll reply later. I just want to say (whilst I see Edward's post)
that the two styles of impacts (and their results) are not comparable.
Compare say, a grain of sand blown against the windscreen of your car
(and the tiny nick that might arise from that) against, say, a
meteorite crater e.g:-
http://ottawa.rasc.ca/astronomy/earth_craters/barringer/
Further along the scale we have the possibility of Moon - Earth
collision. The prospect really defies imagination, but though it's
conceptually easier to keep the moon at a distance, one must still
admit the possibility, although the results are difficult to imagine.
Like two blobs of jelly I would think (brittle shock tectures? surely
not; much volcanism? Surely yes.) hat (difference in scale) is what
makes me think the effect could well be different/ much more
protracted in time too - no sharp shock, but a prolonged period of
deformation and "phase change" (water production) - however that might
be understood from a dense plasma-like core "...that most simulates
iron".

(Sorry Edward - no comparison)

(The Moon still up there? Yes, but look at it! Talk about battle
scarred and bleeding!!) (well, ..past tense)