• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.191-208
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• 2001

We have recently compiled a database of the properties of 192 impact craters, which supercedes previous compilations. Using our database, the impact structures found in North America, Europe and Australia have been examined; these cratonic areas have been relatively stable for considerably long geological periods, and thus have been best preserved. It is confirmed that there is a close correlation between the geological epoch boundaries, the epochs of mass extinctions, antral the "timing" of impacts. In addition, the terrestrial cumulative flux of objects >20km is found to be $1.77{\times}10^{-15}km^{-2}yr^{-1}$, over the last 120 Myr, which is much smaller than the published values in McEwen et al. (1997) and Shoemaker (1998) ($5.6{\pm}2.8{\times}10^{-15}km^{-2}yr^{-1}$. For terrestrial impact structures with D> 50 km, the apparent cumulative flux over the last 2450 Myr is ~50 times smaller than the corresponding value for the Moon. If we assume that the Earth and the Moon suffered the same level of bombardment over this time, this would mean that the actual flux of impacting bodies, capable of making craters with D)50 km, was ~ 50 times larger than the apparent flux estimated from the currently known terrestrial records.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.85-85
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• 2003

We examined the hypothesis that the crater formation rate exhibits periodicity, employing data sets of Grieve (1991), Moon et al. (2001), and the Earth Impact Database (2002; DB02). DB02 is known to supercede previous compilations in terms of its accuracy and precision of the ages; it is the first time that this database has been used for periodicity analysis. For data sets comprising impact structures with D$\geq$5km (and also those with $\geq$20km), there is no convincing evidence for periodicities in the crater ages, according to our Fourier analysis. However, we detected two peaks at 16.1Myr and 34.7Myr for craters with D$\geq$30km; we confirm that the age distribution of impact craters with D$\geq$45km has dominant power at 16.1Myr. Thus, we may conjecture a probable periodic shower of Earth impactors with sizes d$\geq$1.5km. In addition, we found that the selection of data sets, the lower limits on the ages and diameters of impact craters, as well as the accuracy and precision of the ages, all constitute crucial factors in reconstructing the impact cratering history of the Earth.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.71-76
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• 2008

Study of terrestrial impact craters is important not only in the field of the solar system formation and evolution but also of the Galactic astronomy. The terrestrial impact cratering record recently has been examined, providing short- and intermediate-term periodicities, such as, ${\sim}26$ Myrs, ${\sim}37$ Myrs. The existence of such a periodicity has an implication in the Galactic dynamics, since the terrestrial impact cratering is usually interpreted as a result of the environmental variation during solar orbiting in the Galactic plane. The aim of this paper is to search for a long-term periodicity with a novel method since no attempt has been made so far in searching a long-term periodicity in this research field in spite of its great importance. We apply the cepstrum analysis method to the terrestrial impact cratering record for the first time. As a result of the analysis we have found noticeable peaks in the Fourier power spectrum appear ing at periods of ${\sim}300$ Myrs and ${\sim}100$ Myrs, which seem in a simple resonance with the revolution period of the Sun around the Galactic center. Finally we briefly discuss its implications and suggest theoretical study be pursued to explain such a long-term periodicity.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.269-282
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• 2003

We examined the hypothesis that the crater formation rate exhibits periodicity, employing data sets of Grieve (1991), Moon et al. (2001), and the Earth Impact Database(2002; DB02). DB02 is known to supercede previous compilations in terms of its accuracy and precision of the ages; it is the first time that this database has been used for periodicity analysis. For data sets comprising impact structures with $D{\geq}5km$(and also those with $D{\geq}20km$), there is no convincing evidence for periodicities in the crater ages, according to our Fourier analysis. However, we detected two peaks at 16.1Myr and 34.7Myr for craters with $D{\geq}30km$; we confirm that the age distribution of impact craters with $D{\geq}45km$ has dominant power at 16.1Myr. Thus, we may conjecture a probable periodic shower of Earth impactors with sizes $d{\geq}1.5km$. In addition, we found that the selection of data sets, the lower limits on the ages and diameters of impact craters, as well as the accuracy and precision of the ages, all constitute crucial factors in reconstructing the impact cratering history of the Earth.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.199-208
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• 2006

The terrestrial impact cratering record recently has been examined in the time domain by Chang & Moon (2005). It was found that the ${\sim}26$ Myr periodicity in the impact cratering rate exists over the last ${\sim}250$ Myrs. Such a periodicity can be found regardless of the lower limit of the diameter up to D ${\sim}35km$. It immediately called pros and cons. The aim of this paper is two-fold: (1) to test if reported periodicities can be obtained with an independent method, (2) to see, as attempted earlier, if the phase is modulated. To achieve these goals we employ the time/frequency analysis and for the first time apply this method to the terrestrial impact cratering records. We have confirmed that without exceptions noticeable peaks appear around ${\sim}25$ Myr, corresponding to a frequency of ${\sim}0.04(Myr)^{-1}$. We also find periodicities in the data base including small impact craters, which are longer. Though the time/frequency analysis allows us to observe directly phase variations, we cannot find any indications of such changes. Instead, modes display slow variations of power in time. The time/frequency analysis shows a nonstationary behavior of the modes. The power can grow from just above the noise level and then decrease back to its initial level in a time of order of 10 Myrs.