A MODEL OF THE CHICXULUB IMPACT STRUCTURE (YUCATAN, MEXICO) BASED ON ITS GRAVITY AND MAGNETIC SIGNATURES

The separating power of the first and second vertical derivatives have enabled us to infer from the Bouguer gravity anomaly the major morphological features of the Chicxulub impact structure. We infer a structural high of a composite nature (a twin peak?). We corroborated the existence of a first concentric ring, which is continuous to the west and SW of the structural high. The existence of more rings is not supported by our analysis. We were also able to constrain the diameter of the structure to about 200 km (this is also supported by the gravity and magnetic modelling). We elaborated a model for the subsurface structure that is robust in the sense that it accounts for the gravity and magnetic anomalies. Our study suggests that the Chicxulub impact structure corresponds to a crater with a central structural high and surrounded by a ring. According to crater formation theories, it would have been formed in a moderately thick lithosphere that only permits the formation of one or few rings.