Geological Chronicle
Krieger sits in the eastern expanses of Oceanus Procellarum, north-northwest of the flooded crater Prinz and north-northeast of Aristarchus. Formed during the Late Imbrian epoch, the impact structure measures 22.87 kilometers across. Basaltic lavas subsequently flooded the crater floor, submerging its interior relief and leaving behind only a low circular ridge with a distinctly polygonal outline.
Subsequent geologic activity disrupted the crater's surviving wall. The small crater Van Biesbroeck interrupts the southern rim, while a separate breach cuts through the western wall, where a meandering rille heads away toward the northwest. Directly adjacent to the eastern crest lie the tiny craters Rocco, formerly cataloged as Krieger D, and Ruth.
The surrounding terrain reflects the complex volcanic history of the Aristarchus plateau region. Southwest of the crater lie rilles belonging to the Rimae Aristarchus and Rimae Prinz networks, with the Montes Harbinger rising to the east-southeast. The feature honors German selenographer Johann Nepomuk Krieger and received its formal name in 1935 from the International Astronomical Union.