Wilkes Land crater

Wilkes Land crater is a hypothesized giant impact structure beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet in Wilkes Land, East Antarctica. The hypothesis is based on indirect geophysical observations, especially regional gravity anomalies and subglacial topography. It remains unconfirmed because the site is buried under ice and there are no direct bedrock samples to test for diagnostic impact evidence.

The name is used in connection with two candidate features discussed in published sources. The Wilkes Land anomaly refers to a general, large-scale gravity anomaly associated with a subglacial depression that has several proposed origins, including an impact structure. The Wilkes Land mascon refers to the specific positive gravity signal, a mascon, inferred from satellite gravimetry (including GRACE) and interpreted by some authors as consistent with a large impact basin.

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