View source for Kara crater

{{Short description|Meteorite crater in northern Russia}}
{{Infobox terrestrial impact site
| name = Kara crater
| other_name = 
| photo = Kara crateri crater Russia lansat 7 image.gif
| photo_size = 
| photo_alt = 
| photo_caption = Kara crater
| map = Russia Nenets Autonomous Okrug#European Russia
| map_alt = 
| map_caption = Location of the crater in Russia
| map_size = 
| location = [[Timan-Pechora Basin]]
| label =
| label_position = 
| coordinates = {{coord|69|6|0|N|64|9|0|E|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = 
| confidence = Confirmed
| diameter = {{convert|65|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| depth =
| rise =
| imp_size =
| age = 70.3 ± 2.2<br>[[Cretaceous|Late Cretaceous]]
| exposed = No
| drilled = Yes
| bolide = [[Chondrite]]
| translation =
| language =
| pronunciation =
| topo = 
| access = 
| country = Russia
| state = [[Nenetsia]]
| province =
| district = 
| municipality = 
}}

'''Kara''' is a [[meteorite]] [[impact crater|crater]] in the [[Yugorsky Peninsula]], [[Nenetsia]], Russia.<ref>{{Cite Earth Impact DB |name=Kara |accessdate=2017-10-09}}</ref>

Heavily eroded, it is presently {{convert|65|km|mi}} in diameter, though it is thought to be originally {{convert|120|km|mi}} before erosion. Its age is estimated to be 70.3 ± 2.2 million years old ([[Late Cretaceous]]). [[Impactite]] outcrops located on the [[Baydaratskaya Bay|Baydarata Gulf]] (Baydaratskaya) shore north-east of the crater imply that the original size of the crater could have been the 4th largest on Earth.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2003/pdf/1057.pdf |title=Kara crater by remote sensing |author=Raitala|display-authors=etal |date=2003 |access-date=2017-10-09}}</ref> The crater is not exposed at the surface.

The Kara crater lies in the southeastern end of the Yugorsky Peninsula, while the '''Ust-Kara''' site lies offshore, {{convert|15|km|mi}} east of the small Kara or [[Karskaya Guba]] inlet. It was formerly believed that these two sites were two separate craters and that they formed a twin impact structure from the Late [[Cretaceous]]. However, it seems that the Ust-Kara site does not exist as a separate site. Apparently, the [[suevite]] outcrops of the Ust-Kara impact structure are only a part of the Kara impact structure.<ref name=NASAHodge>NASA 1988, Hodge 1994</ref>{{full citation needed|date=December 2024}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.unb.ca/passc/ImpactDatabase/ Earth Impact Database]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110605190505/http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2002/pdf/1480.pdf The Kara Crater Size: Suevite layer outside the crater depression]

{{Impact cratering on Earth}}

[[Category:Impact craters of Russia]]
[[Category:Impact craters of the Arctic]]
[[Category:Cretaceous impact craters]]
[[Category:Landforms of Nenets Autonomous Okrug]]
[[Category:Landforms of Arkhangelsk Oblast]]


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