The crater is distinctly shallow for its size, and lacks a central peak.

[2] Kerwan is roughly antipodal to Ahuna Mons, the largest, or at least youngest, mountain on Ceres.

Seismic energy from the Kerwan-forming impact may have focused on the opposite side of Ceres, fracturing the outer layers of the crust and facilitating the movement of high-viscosity cryomagma (consisting of muddy water ice softened by its content of salts) onto the surface.

[3] Kerwan too shows evidence of the effects of liquid water due to impact-melting of subsurface ice.

[4] The crater is named after the Hopi spirit of sprouting maize, Kerwan.