The sediments and fossils at Ritland have been studied by geologists since the 1950s. The depth of the circular structure is about , with a diameter of about . Research has focused on trying to find evidence that the crater resulted from a meteoric impact. In 2008 it was announced that microscopic evidence was found, and that the structure is an impact crater. The crater dates from before mid
Cambrian, as fossils from mid Cambrian are found in sediments that have accumulated in the crater. The evidence for the structure being an impact crater stems from the identification of
shocked quartz particles, which only form under the very high pressures (5-10 GPa) present during a meteoric impact. The sediments in the crater are described as landslides in the bottom of the crater, followed by shale sediments deposited during a period when the sea had invaded the area. On top of the clay sediments are coarser sediments. During the
Caledonian orogeny the crater was buried under a several kilometre thick
mountain chain. The overlaying mountains were later eroded, and the crater was again exposed. == References ==