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A meteorite impact crater was discovered in China that resembled a nuclear explosion in terms of its power
Geologists have discovered the Hailin Crater in China, noting its unique oval shape and uneven sides. It is a giant hollow on a hillside left by an asteroid that crashed into the Earth several million years ago.
According to researcher Ming Chen, the meteorite impact that blew up the crater was a nuclear explosion-level event. The pit measures up to 1360 meters wide and 183 meters deep. But it was discovered recently because it is filled with sediment, Live Science writes.
The perfectly oval crater is located at an altitude of 900 meters above sea level. While part of its eastern rim is missing due to unknown geological processes, the rest of its sides are completely intact.
Scientists say that it is impossible to determine exactly when the meteorite fell, but it probably happened sometime in the last 20 million years, after the land on which the meteorite fell rose to form the mountainous region known today as the Changbai Mountain Range.
According to the study, which was published in the journal Matter and Radiation at Extremes, Hailin Crater is the fourth confirmed impact crater in China and the world's first example of an impact crater located on a mountain range.
The unusual oval shape of the Hailin crater is the result of the uneven terrain beneath it, rather than the low angle of approach of the meteor, which is usually the reason why impact craters can be elliptical. According to the study, the meteorite fell sharply on top of a ridge with sloping sides, resulting in a relatively small diameter measured perpendicular to the ridge - about 1150 - and a larger diameter along the ridge line - 1360 m.
The crater contains sediments and rock fragments, as well as evidence of an ancient lake that leaked out when the eastern rim collapsed. Chen and his colleagues analyzed the rock fragments with a microscope, finding deformations in the quartz grains that could only have been triggered by a strong impact.
"The discovery of the Hailin crater and other craters in China indicates that meteorite impacts of this magnitude may occur on Earth in the future," the scientist said.
Meanwhile, the researchers say they plan to drill the crater to explore its deep structure and evolutionary history.
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