Years after scientists discovered the oldest meteorite-shaped crater on Earth, another team of scientists discovered that it is the result of normal geological processes.
While conducting fieldwork at the Archean Maniitsoq structure in Greenland, an international team of researchers led by Chris Yakymchuk of the University of Waterloo found that the characteristics of this region are inconsistent with impact cracking.
An article posted on Phys.org said that in 2012, a different team identified the remains of the three-billion-year-old meteorite crater.
Zakymchuk, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Waterloo, explained, Zircon crystals found in the rock are like time capsules.
In addition, they preserve ancient damage resulting from accidents acquired from meteorite impact. The professor said his team did not find such damage in them.
I CAN: Blue-green algae can help astronauts survive on the red planet
(Photo: NASA / JPL-Caltech / University of Arizona on Wikimedia Commons)
A new impact crater that has appeared on the surface of Mars was created at most between September 2016 and February 2019.
The ‘Metamorphism’ process
There are many places where the rocks would melt and reposition deeply on this planet. This process is called ‘metamorphism’, according to the team’s study.
The authors of the study explain that such a process would occur almost immediately if generated from impact. The team led by Waterloo found that it happened about 40 million years later compared to the previously suggested team.
Yakymchuk said they went there to find out about the area for a possible mineral exploration. Through close site inspection and data collection from 2012, they concluded that the features are inconsistent with meteorite impact.
The lead author also explained that while they were disappointed that they did not work in a structure that was the result of a meteorite hitting the planet three billion years ago, science is about advancing knowledge through study and their view of the ancient history of the Earth continues. coming forward.
The findings of the research team provide scientific data to Greenland’s storage companies and researchers to discover new mineral resources. Their study is published in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters.
How an ‘Impact Crater’ is created
According to NASA’s description of impact scattering, it is formed when an object such as a meteorite or asteroid collides into a huger surface like a moon or planet.
For a crater to create real impact, this object needs to travel very fast, such as several thousand miles per hour.
Additionally, when a hard object breaks into something at these ultrafast speeds, it creates a crack no matter how hard or hard it is.
It instantly vaporizing and creating penetrating waves through the ground, melting and re-emerging rock. All that remains is a large round hole in the ground and some badly hit rocks.
Basically, Meteor Crater, also known as Barringer Crater, in Arizona was the first identified crater created with external influences. Related information can be seen on the AZ Family YouTube video below.
It was created about 50,000 years ago from a meteorite that, according to NASA, is placed about 150 feet wide, traveling over 28,000 mph.
Tyco Crater, on the other hand, is believed to be in the lunar southern hemisphere, about 108 million years old, young, by lunar standards.
RELATED ARTICLE: MOXIE test engine could contribute to rocket launch off Mars
Check out more news and information about Space on Science Times.