Scientists have discovered evidence of an ancient impact crater in northern Australia using satellite imagery. The Landsat 8 satellite captured images of a unique geological structure, which is believed to be the remains of an asteroid that struck the Earth around 600 million years ago during the Ediacaran period.
The crater, located near present-day Davenport Ranges, has a distinctive canoe-shaped depression measuring about 1 km wide and 5 km long. Analysis of satellite imagery reveals that the impact caused regional rock deformation extending up to 10 km north and south of the crater, but minimal deformation to the east and west.
The shape of the crater suggests that the asteroid struck at an extremely oblique angle, unlike the more severe impacts that led to mass extinctions in Earth’s history. The region’s quartzite rocks also show signs of collision, including fan-shaped faults known as fracture cones, which are a result of shock waves piercing the rock.
While the full extent of damage caused by the impact is unclear, scientists believe that asteroids striking at low angles cause less damage due to their prolonged atmospheric passage and increased fragmentation before impact. The discovery has shed new light on Australia’s geological history and potential implications for Earth’s climate and ocean chemistry during the Ediacaran period.
Source: https://universemagazine.com/en/satellite-captures-the-remains-of-an-ancient-crater-in-australia