Abstract
Meteorite impact craters are an essential process in how planetary
bodies evolve, and a resurgence in space exploration has necessitated a
renewed focus on such studies. But due to the non-uniqueness of the
geological characteristics associated with impact craters, the science
of geophysics plays an indispensable role in identifying them. The
Bosumtwi Impact Crater in Ghana is one of the world’s youngest
well-preserved mid-sized impact craters. Here we explore the current
state of geophysical research in the Bosumtwi Impact Crater, focusing on
analysing what part has been played in this research by local
researchers. We employed the PRISMA technique for data collection, which
includes identifying the sources of data required for the analysis,
screening and checking the eligibility of the data. We report that the
peak number of articles (7) was published in 2006. Researchers
affiliated with Ghanaian institutions are in third place, with 13 % of
the articles. We also observe that only two articles report a funding
source from Ghana, where the Bosumtwi Impact Crater is located. All the
major geophysical methods applied in geophysical studies have been
observed in the studies on the Bosumtwi Impact Crater. These studies
confirm the presence of shock-metamorphosed rocks. Results from our
review show that, while geophysical methods did not provide an
unambiguous signature for the Bosumtwi Impact crater, they provided
constraints for confirming the impact origins. Our findings are
significant because they highlight the lack of local financial support
for research in Ghana and African countries in general. A compelling
consequence of the underrepresentation of Ghanaian geophysical
researchers on studies in the Bosumtwi Impact Crater is the lack of
studies on hazards which is very important due to the impact origins of
the crater.
Keywords: Bosumtwi Impact Crater; Systematic Review,
Geophysics; Ghana; funding research.