Chinese scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery, uncovering a rare meteorite crater perched on a mountain ridge in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. This marks the first time such a crater has been found in this unique terrain, shedding new light on the Earth’s geological history.
Researchers from the Beijing-based Center for High Pressure Science & Technology Advanced Research announced the finding in the academic journal Matter and Radiation at Extremes. The newly discovered Hailin impact crater is located in the northern mountains of Hailin city, a region known for its rugged landscape as part of the Changbai Mountains.
The crater boasts a diameter of 1,360 meters and is shaped like an elliptical dustpan. With a height difference exceeding 100 meters between its highest rim point and the lowest central point, it resembles a colossal funnel suspended on the mountain ridge.
"This impact occurred in the late Cenozoic Era, hundreds of thousands of years ago," explained Chen Ming, a researcher at the center. "The discovery not only enriches our understanding of planetary collisions but also offers a new perspective on the impact cratering mechanisms in China’s unique terrains."
Meteorite craters are circular depressions formed by the high-speed impact of celestial bodies such as asteroids. While over 200 meteorite craters have been identified worldwide, confirmed sites within China remain extremely rare. This makes the Hailin crater a significant addition to the global catalog of impact sites.
Experts highlight that meteorites are invaluable for scientific studies of outer space, providing insights into the composition and history of celestial bodies. The discovery of the Hailin crater opens new avenues for research into shock metamorphic effects and the geological evolution of the region.
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Chinese scientists discover meteorite crater on mountain ridge
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