The Sirente main crater is a ≈ 130 m wide, in plan view droplet-shaped depression with an elevated rim, surrounded by 30 smaller depressions. It was proposed to be of meteorite impact origin. Given the age of formation in the 3rd to 5th centuries A.D., the inferred catastrophic origin was related to the celestial sign (“Chi Rho”) said to have been seen by Emperor Constantine in 312 A.D. and suggested to have changed the course of both Roman and Christian history. However, the meteoritic origin is not yet confirmed. This paper presents new results from synthetic modelling of Electric Resistivity Tomography field data collected at the Sirente main crater which provide further clues around the controversy of its origin. This study arises from the need to validate the observed structural features which include possible upturned strata (i.e., overturning of strata below impact crater rims) and compaction-fissure-like features below and just outside the crater rim, well-developed “breccia lens”, as well as an ejecta layer, and provide key indicators for objective and quantitative interpretation of the measured resistivity pattern. The results from this study are consistent with the hypothesis of a small impact crater in a low-strength target, with a relatively shallow apparent crater and do not support other proposed mechanisms of formation such as karst, mud volcano or merely anthropogenic origin.

Sirente 主陨石坑宽约 130 m，在平面图中呈水滴状凹陷，边缘升高，周围环绕着 30 个较小的凹陷。它被认为是陨石撞击的起源。考虑到公元 3 至 5 世纪的形成年代，推断的灾难起源与据说在公元 312 年被君士坦丁皇帝看到的天象（“Chi Rho”）有关，并暗示改变了罗马帝国的进程。和基督教历史。然而，陨石的起源尚未得到证实。本文介绍了对在 Sirente 主陨石坑收集的电阻率断层扫描场数据进行综合建模的新结果，这些结果为围绕其起源的争议提供了进一步的线索。这项研究源于需要验证观察到的结构特征，包括可能的上翘地层（即，撞击坑边缘下方的地层倾覆）和撞击坑边缘下方和外侧的类似压实裂缝的特征，发育良好的“角砾岩透镜”以及喷射层，并为测量的客观和定量解释提供关键指标电阻率模式。这项研究的结果与低强度目标中的小撞击坑的假设一致，具有相对较浅的明显陨石坑，不支持其他提出的形成机制，如岩溶、泥火山或仅仅是人为起源。