Some observations facing the interpretation of Waqf as Suwwan structure, SE desert of Jordan, as an impact crater

Twenty-seven samples from Waqf as Suwwan structure in the southeastern desert of Jordan were analyzed for their petrography, mineralogy, and geochemistry. All three types of analysis failed to show any evidence supporting the structure as an impact crater, but they cannot be used as an evidence discrediting the structure as an impact crater. This is because of the presence of shatter cones and rare shock metamorphic features. Shatter cones are well established in the Waqf as Suwwan structures and are accepted internationally as a criterion for impact craters. Shock metamorphic features reported in previous works are extremely rare and atypical. Planar features (PFs) were reported in one single quartz grain taken from a 30-m-thick Kurnub sandstone horizon. They are also reported from one single loose chert nodule, despite the extremely abundant bedded and loose chert within the structure. The PFs in the chert nodule are questioned because they are possibly due to diagenesis. More important is the complete absence of any type of breccias, lithic, melt, or suevitic and ejecta within and around the structure. The "deep erosion of the crater" used by advocates cannot stand for rigorous discussion on the amount of erosion in the desert environment in southeastern Jordan. Given the exact age of the cratering event is not yet known, and an approximate long-term rate of erosion of 1 m/Ma breccias and ejecta should be present in and/or around the structure.