Recent research on the Chicxulub impact crater, generally considered the remains of the impact that wiped out the dinosaurs, yielded the following fascinating diagram of the impact:
New simulations have revealed the asteroid that doomed the dinosaurs struck Earth at the 'deadliest possible' angle. The simulations show that the asteroid hit Earth at an angle of about 60°, which maximised the amount of climate-changing gases https://t.co/xqv3AmE4oH pic.twitter.com/faKoIAR25E
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) May 27, 2020
It’s fascinating to think of granite as acting like a very low-grade rubber, isn’t it? It clearly compresses and then decompresses, leaving a peak, as shown at the end of the simulation. Compare to the lunar crater Moretus:
Information courtesy of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera concerning central peak formation in lunar impact craters is here.
