Formation of an impact crater
Crater caused by the explosion
Impactor is melted, perhaps vaporized
 by the kinetic energy released
Temporary “transient” crater is
round
Gravity causes walls to slump inward
forming “terraces”
Movement of material inward from
all sides (trying to fill in the hole)
may push up central peak in the
middle.
Final crater is typically ~10 times
 the size of the impactor