Ilumetsa crater

Ilumetsa is a set of two probable meteorite craters^[1] in Estonia. ^[ambiguous]

Ilumetsa crater
Ilumetsa crater
Impact crater/structure
Confidence	Probable
Diameter	80 m (260 ft)
Age	7 ka
Exposed	Yes
Drilled	Yes
Location
Coordinates	57°57′36.17″N 27°24′10.43″E
Country	Estonia
Ilumetsa crater Asteroid impact location in Estonia

The Ilumetsa site is located in south eastern Estonia and it consists of two structures, located 725 m from each other. Their diameters are: 75–80 m and ~50 m. Their true depths are about 8 and 3.5 m, respectively.^[2] Both structures are surrounded by a rim up to a few meters high: the rims are highest in their eastern parts with maximum rim heights of Ilumetsa Large 4.5 m and 1.5 m for Ilumetsa Small.

The Large Ilumetsa structure has been dated by radiocarbon dating the gyttja and peat from the very bottom of the crater shaped depression.^[3] The lowermost organic beds were dated to 6030 +/-100 14C years (7170– 6660 cal. years BP). Recent radiocarbon dating charcoals buried within assumed proximal ejecta blankets of these crater-like features showed Ilumetsa Large and Ilumetsa Small formed simultaneously between 7170 and 7000 cal. years BP.^[4]

No clear meteorite fragments or shock metamorphic effects were ever found around those structures. Because of that Ilumetsa is not a proven impact crater. However, indirect lines of evidence are enough to call it a "probable" impact site. It is: 1) presence of deformed sedimentary beds (including the rim consisting of sands mixed with numerous clayey till lenses;,^[5] 2) only a small thickness of glacial sediments,^[2] 3) simultaneous formation of both structures as showed by radiocarbon dating.^[4]