shatter cone: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (C2/Technical)Technical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “shatter cone” mean?
A distinctive geological structure consisting of a cone-shaped rock fragment with striated, grooved surfaces, formed by the extreme shock pressure of a meteorite impact.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A distinctive geological structure consisting of a cone-shaped rock fragment with striated, grooved surfaces, formed by the extreme shock pressure of a meteorite impact.
In a broader or metaphorical sense, it can describe any object or pattern that resembles this geological formation, such as a fractured glass object with radiating, conical fracture lines.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or orthographic differences. Pronunciation differs slightly (see IPA).
Connotations
Exclusively a precise geological term in both varieties. No divergent connotations.
Frequency
Used with identical, very low frequency in both British and American scientific literature.
Grammar
How to Use “shatter cone” in a Sentence
[NP] contains/found/displays/shatter conesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “shatter cone” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The shatter-cone structures were clearly visible.
- A shatter-cone-bearing layer of limestone was identified.
American English
- The shatter cone structures were clearly visible.
- A shatter cone-bearing layer of limestone was identified.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Primary context. Used in geology, planetary science, and impact cratering research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Used with high precision in fieldwork, lab analysis, and scientific reports to describe evidence of hypervelocity impacts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “shatter cone”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “shatter cone”
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'The rock shattered coned').
- Confusing it with 'shatter' in the general sense of breaking.
- Misspelling as 'shattercone' (though sometimes hyphenated, 'shatter cone' is standard).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
While extremely rare, some experimental nuclear explosions and possibly large lighting strikes can produce similar, but not identical, features. For natural geological contexts, they are considered definitive evidence of a hypervelocity impact.
It is most commonly written as two separate words ('shatter cone'), though hyphenated forms ('shatter-cone') are also acceptable, especially when used as a compound adjective.
No. Shatter cones are a shock metamorphism feature and have been identified in impact structures on Earth. Similar features are expected on other rocky planetary bodies with solid surfaces, like Mars or the Moon, but direct, in-situ identification is challenging.
The apex (the point) of the cone generally points towards the origin of the shock wave. The striations radiate outward from this apex.
A distinctive geological structure consisting of a cone-shaped rock fragment with striated, grooved surfaces, formed by the extreme shock pressure of a meteorite impact.
Shatter cone is usually technical/scientific in register.
Shatter cone: in British English it is pronounced /ˈʃæt.ə ˌkəʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈʃæt̬.ɚ ˌkoʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a **cone** of ice that has been hit and **shattered** by a hammer, leaving long, grooved cracks. That's a 'shatter cone' – a rock shaped by a cosmic 'hammer' (a meteorite).
Conceptual Metaphor
THE ROCK IS A RECORDING DEVICE (capturing the direction and force of the shockwave).
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'shatter cone' a key diagnostic indicator of?