Abstract—For a long time, Silali crater/basin has been described as a volcanic crater that formed through volcanicity. This would ordinarily entail the release of magma from inside the earth, through a volcanic pipe or vent, onto the earth’s surface. A violent volcanic eruption can blast the earth to form a crater. The eruption can also pile magma all around the blasted area, forming walls of lava (cooled magma). A recent study that was carried out in Silali basin: Identification of an Extra-Terrestrial Impact Crater (ETIC): A Case Study of Silali Crater, Kenya, by Kipkiror (2016), however, has unearthed facts that give an indication that Silali basin may actually be an Extraterrestrial Impact Crater (ETIC); formed through an extra-terrestrial impact event. This involves the impact of an asteroid, comet or a meteor on the earth’s surface, leading to the formation of a crater or a meteorite. When a heavenly body impacts on the earth’s surface and excavates it, a crater is formed. If the heavenly body fails to completely burn up while transiting the earth’s atmosphere, it will land on the earth’s surface, form a shallow crater and rest on the crater as a meteorite. The objective of this study is to explain the formation of Silali crater/basin as an ETIC. Information for the study was derived from the analysis of previous geographical and geological studies of Silali basin, with reinforcement from other research methods including interviewing, observation, sampling, laboratory testing of samples and remote sensing. Data has been presented in the form of tables, analysed remote sensing images, pictures, charts and discussions.

Index Terms—Silali Basin, Extra-terrestrial, ETIC, Formation, Morphology

Cite:Loice J Kipkiror, "Formation of Silali Basin as a Complex Extra-Terrestrial Impact Crater (ETIC)," International Journal of Geology and Earth Science, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 1-22, June 2018.