A new study confirms that the Luna structure in India is indeed linked to a meteorite fall nearly 7,000 years ago. Therefore, it could be the largest impact crater in the past 10,000 years.
For more than 10 years, scientists have wondered about the origin of this massive circular structure, 1.8 kilometers in diameter, located in northwest India. This depression is known as Luna, and is often occupied by a lake and bounded by a small rise. a MorphologyMorphology Which suggests it may be an ancient impact crater. It is a hypothesis that cannot be clearly verified yet due to the thick layer of modern sediments deposited at the bottom of the structure.
Characteristic rocks of a meteorite impact
A recent study published In the magazine Planetary and space sciencesHowever, he supports this idea. Between 2019 and 2022, a team of scientists conducted many field observations and collected a large number of rocks, especially in the vicinity of the supposed crater. Thus scientists were able to identify the presence of very specific rocks, indicating a cycle of events fusionfusion. Mineralogical and geochemical analysis of these rocks revealed a very distinctive composition of the impact sites, including enrichment RhodiumRhodium, PalladiumPalladium, OsmiumOsmium, IridiumIridiumAnd platinum as well MetalsMetals Such as wustite, kirschsteinite, hercynite, and ulphospinel.
The largest crater in the last 10,000 years
All this data suggests that an iron-rich meteorite collided with clay-rich soil CalciumCalcium And silica. Plant remains have been identified in the sedimentary level immediately below the affected level, allowing radiocarbon dating to be performed. Thus, the researchers were able to determine that the impact occurred 6,905 years ago. Given its size, Luna Crater will be the largest impact crater over the past 10,000 years.
