Editing Rochechouart impact structure (section)

== Planetary surfaces ==
Within the population of terrestrial impact craters, Rochechouart provides uniquely direct access for investigating major questions related to impact cratering as geological and as a biological process. 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.

Despite this exceptional potential, Rochechouart was until very recently, one of the least, if not the least, investigated large impact crater on Earth. This has to do in part with the heavy vegetal cover masking the geology. But the situation is changing rapidly with the installation of the CIRIR (Center for International Research on Impact and on Rochechouart) on site and with the launch of CIRIR programs starting with the first series of drillings of the crater's history. The latter has resulted in eight sites of the National Reserve having been completed.<ref name=":6" /> 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. All this is possible because of the support of the local territories investing in the CIRIR, because of the State and the local territories both supporting the National Natural Reserve, because of the interest of the scientific community impact, and because of the value and the interest of the Rochechouart impact structure.