In Greenland, found the remains of an asteroid of the Ice Age

In Greenland, found the remains of an asteroid of the Ice Age

Artistic vision of an asteroid crashing into the Greenland ice sheet

An asteroid with a mile-wide crashed into northern Greenland 12,000 years ago (estimated number), creating a crater. The deepening was found under the Hiawatha glacier (Hiawatha) - the Greenland ice sheet with a thickness of 1 km. The Danish team used extensive radar surveys to search. Thus, it was possible to notice a peculiar semicircular depression on the edge of the glacier.

Of course, the team had to create a crater map on its own. But do not dig the same snow. For this, German research aircraft and advanced technologies were used, which made it possible to determine the contours of the cup-shaped crater. However, it was necessary to confirm that this depression was due to the impact of the asteroid. Sifting samples in front of the glacier showed quartz, created by intense pressure. Preliminary findings suggest an iron-rich asteroid that has fallen to Earth and pierced 7 km of the earth's crust. The initial impact caused a cavity with a diameter of 20 km, which then collapsed to a depth of 800 m with the current 31-kilometer width.

But when did the event happen? Scientists can not give exact figures. The team indicates the Pleistocene period, covering 2.5 million years of history. The current analysis indicates that the crater is young, but more in-depth studies are needed.

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