[4] However, their interpretation either as sedimentary, volcanic, tectonic, or a mix of these, was a major subject of debate until impact became progressively recognized as a geological process in the 1960s.

The latter also referred as to Hercynian orogeny is a geologic mountain-building event caused by Late Paleozoic continental collision between the tectonic plates of Euramerica (Laurussia) and Gondwana to form the supercontinent of Pangaea.

Yet the impact has most probably taken place on the margin of the Massif Central forming an island at that time, close enough to the nearby sea to have triggered a prominent tsunami.

[19][21] Yet the Rochechouart impactites all display a prominent hydrothermal overprint that can be related to the proximity of the sea at the time of impact.

[19] Even the very fine materials (impactoclastites) depositing last and transported worldwide by the winds, is preserved forming a very fine layered horizontal deposits on top of the melt rich suevite (breccia with a debris matrix and both rock debris and melt fragments as clasts) near Chassenon (see map).

[19] This material is emplaced in a quiet environment, after all the chaos produced by the excavation, by the collapse of the cavity, and by the possible back flooding related to the tsunami induced by the impact in the nearby sea.

The geometrical center of the structure is located 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Rochechouart, near the little village of la Judie (see map).

The center of the structure according to the nature and distribution of the shock damage in the deposits and according to the negative gravity anomaly in the target stands about 1 km (0.62 mi) further South near Valette.

The crater is buried yet the deeper structure is known through numerous drill cores and geophysical investigation undertaken during the Soviet period in the search of hydrocarbons.

This includes the understanding of crater fill mechanics and chronology, as well as satellite effects such as resurge, pyroclastic explosions, landslides, and more.

This covers the mechanics of large impact crater readjustments and the puzzling challenge of “fluidization”, namely making coherent rocks behave like a liquid without melting.

This involves characterizing and understanding the impact-induced hydrothermal cell responsible for the prominent hydrothermal overprint at Rochechouart, any possible nutriments, habitats and conditions of potential emergent life at impact craters, and the testing of recent theories and models involving impacts as prominent actors of the habitability of planets.

[14] The scientific exploitation of the cores, currently with 60 projects and 60 teams from 12 nations scattered on 4 continents as part of the CIRIR program, is just starting.

The curatorial facility on site for hosting the drill cores and the surface samples as part of the impact on shelve is under construction.

The sister facility for hosting scientists and students coming worldwide for studying impact cratering and or training in planetary geology is under construction too.