S U M M A R YBased on a critical evaluation of several different spectral magnetic depth determination techniques on areally large synthetic layered and random magnetization models, we recommend the following considerations in the usage of the methods as necessary prerequisites to successful bottom depth determinations: (1) using windows with sufficient width to ascertain that the response of the deepest magnetic layer is captured and by verifying the spectra and computing the depth estimates with the largest possible windows (>300-500 km); (2) avoiding filtering to remove arbitrary regional fields, accomplished by compiling magnetic anomalies derived from modern spherical harmonic degree 13 Earth's main field models [e.g. recent International Geomagnetic Reference Field models (IGRF) or Comprehensive models (CM)]; (3) ascertaining the near-circularity of the autocorrelation function to avoid analysing biased spectra containing strong anomaly trends; and (4) avoid determining the slopes from the exponential, low wavenumber part of the spectra in the cases of layered magnetization. We also describe the details of the new spectral peak forward modelling method and discuss the conditions under which the method can lead to useful results. We found that, despite all these precautions, in some cases, the results can still be erroneous and, therefore, we recommend a critical evaluation of the results by modelling heat flow and taking into account seismic information on the crustal and lithospheric thicknesses and seismic velocities wherever possible. In the southcentral US, east of the Rockies, where the surface heat flow ranges between 40 and 65 mW m −2 , we obtained the magnetic bottom depth of 40 ± 10 km using the approach of the forward modelling of the spectral peak. This range is similar to the seismically derived crustal thickness of 45-50 km, suggesting, therefore, that the entire crust may be magnetic in this region. Because of the uncertainties in the various heat flow contributing parameters, such as the variations in thermal conductivity, radiogenic heat and hydraulic regime, we could not constrain the lithospheric thickness beyond an estimate ranging approximately from 100 to 200 km.

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We report on the detection in southern Egypt of an impact crater 45 meters in diameter with a pristine rayed structure. Such pristine structures are typically observed on atmosphereless rocky or icy planetary bodies in the solar system. This feature and the association with an iron meteorite impactor and shock metamorphism provides a unique picture of small-scale hypervelocity impacts on Earth's crust. Contrary to current geophysical models, ground data indicate that iron meteorites with masses of the order of tens of tons can penetrate the atmosphere without substantial fragmentation.

Abstract-We detail the Kamil crater (Egypt) structure and refine the impact scenario, based on the geological and geophysical data collected during our first expedition in February 2010. Kamil Crater is a model for terrestrial small-scale hypervelocity impact craters. It is an exceptionally well-preserved, simple crater with a diameter of 45 m, depth of 10 m, and rayed pattern of bright ejecta. It occurs in a simple geological context: flat, rocky desert surface, and target rocks comprising subhorizontally layered sandstones. The high depth-to-diameter ratio of the transient crater, its concave, yet asymmetric, bottom, and the fact that Kamil Crater is not part of a crater field confirm that it formed by the impact of a single iron mass (or a tight cluster of fragments) that fragmented upon hypervelocity impact with the ground. The circular crater shape and asymmetries in ejecta and shrapnel distributions coherently indicate a direction of incidence from the NW and an impact angle of approximately 30 to 45°. Newly identified asymmetries, including the off-center bottom of the transient crater floor downrange, maximum overturning of target rocks along the impact direction, and lower crater rim elevation downrange, may be diagnostic of oblique impacts in well-preserved craters. Geomagnetic data reveal no buried individual impactor masses >100 kg and suggest that the total mass of the buried shrapnel >100 g is approximately 1050-1700 kg. Based on this mass value plus that of shrapnel >10 g identified earlier on the surface during systematic search, the new estimate of the minimum projectile mass is approximately 5 t.

We present 3‐D magnetic models of Tenerife based on a high‐resolution aeromagnetic survey carried out in 2006. Two different inverse modeling techniques have been applied: (1) a linear method aimed at imaging lateral magnetization contacts and (2) a nonlinear method aimed at obtaining a 3‐D description of deep intrusive bodies, in which a constant magnetization value characterizes the main sources. Magnetic models show that deep intrusive structures are located beneath the northern part of the island and aligned along the E‐W direction. This arrangement of intrusive bodies does not support the hypothesis of a three‐armed rift system that has been present since the early formation of the island. The shallow portion of the intrusive structures shows a round geometry that agrees with the previously proposed location of some of the landslide headwalls, suggesting that collapse scars have acted as preferential sites for magma upwelling. Our magnetic model probably provides the first geophysical evidence of the location of the headwall of the Icod landslide beneath the Teide‐Pico Viejo complex, thus supporting the vertical collapse hypothesis for the origin of the Cañadas caldera. The largest intrusive complex is located to the northwest of Teide and Pico Viejo, revealing the presence of a very high dike density in this area. This complex probably resulted from the intrusion of magma over the span of millions of years, beginning with the early phases of basaltic shield volcanism in central Tenerife and lasting until the building of Teide and Pico Viejo stratovolcanoes.

[1] Aeromagnetic data collected between the Aeolian volcanoes (southern Tyrrhenian Sea) and the Calabrian Arc (Italy) highlight a WNW-ESE elongated positive magnetic anomaly centered on the Capo Vaticano morphological ridge (Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria), characterized by an apical, subcircular, flat surface. Results of forward and inverse modeling of the magnetic data show a 20 km long and 3-5 km wide magnetized body that extends from sea floor to about 3 km below sea level. The magnetic properties of this body are consistent with those of the medium to highly evolved volcanic rocks of the Aeolian Arc (i.e., dacites and rhyolites). In the Calabria mainland, widespread dacitic to rhyolitic pumices with calc-alkaline affinity of Pleistocene age (1-0.7 Ma) are exposed. The tephra falls are related to explosive activity and show a decreasing thickness from the Capo Vaticano area southeastward. The presence of lithics indicates a provenance from a source located not far from Capo Vaticano. The combined interpretation of the magnetic and available geological data reveal that (1) the Capo Vaticano WNW-ESE elongated positive magnetic anomaly is due to the occurrence of a WNW-ESE elongated sill; (2) such a sill represents the remnant of the plumbing system of a Pleistocene volcano that erupted explosively producing the pumice tephra exposed in Calabria; and (3) the volcanism is consistent with the Aeolian products, in terms of age, magnetic signature, and geochemical affinity of the erupted products,. The results indicate that such volcanism developed along seismically active faults transversal to the general trend of the Aeolian Arc and Calabria block, in an area where uplift is maximized (∼4 mm/yr). Such uplift could also be responsible for fragmentation of the upper crust and formation of transversal faults along which seismic activity and volcanism occur.