¹Robert Huber, ²Hans Lauterbach, ³Robert Darga
Meteoritics & Planetary Science (in Press) Open Access Link to Article [DOI: 10.1111/maps.70255]
¹MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, Universität Bremen, Bremen, Germany
²Independent Researcher, Traunreut, Germany
³MammutMuseum Siegsdorf, Siegsdorf, Germany

Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons

Public fascination with impact craters often drives bold speculations, but rigorousverification is critical. In southeastern Bavaria, numerous depressions have been proposed torepresent impact craters associated with a catastrophic event in Celtic times (between 900 BCand 600 BC)—the so called “Chiemgau Impact.” To date, the evidence presented in supportof the proposed Chiemgau Impact has not been independently validated as diagnostic of aconfirmed impact event, and this interpretation has been repeatedly challenged in thescientific literature. More recently, numerous newly identified, predominantly small-scalestructures have been presented as further evidence supporting this claim. Many, however,lack precise geographic information, complicating independent verification. We localized andcritically examined these structures in the field as well as using publicly availablehigh-resolution LIDAR data, aerial imagery (historic and recent), and development plans.The majority of these images show structures which are demonstrably anthropogenic,including gravel pits, WWII bomb craters, retention basins, and—most notably—golf coursefeatures such as bunkers and ponds. Other depressions correspond to glacial landformscharacteristic of the Inn-Chiemsee foreland. None of the structures examined exhibitcharacteristics that would support a formation by a cosmic impact. The repeatedmisinterpretation of recently constructed golf course elements as impact craters highlights astriking lack of methodological rigor and illustrates how extraordinary claims can arise fromneglecting simple cross-checks with publicly available geospatial and planning data andindicates that the postulated impact in Chiemgau belongs to the realm of myths.