Written by Mark McPherson | published
A huge meteorite crater, called the Deniliquin structure, may have been discovered under Australia. This is what geologist Andrew Glickson found in his research. It may also be one of the largest craters ever discovered on Earth.
Through an article in the language ConversationGlickson described his discovery of the Deniliquin structure under Australia. The study was published in the journal Tectonophysics magazine and revealed a diameter of more than 320 miles to the impact site.
Geologist Andrew Glickson says he has discovered a huge asteroid crater on the ocean floor.
This is incredibly huge compared to the previous record holder for the Vredefort Crater in South Africa. Vredefort crater was only 100 miles in diameter. Therefore, this discovery represents the largest crater discovered so far.
It has been a long time coming for information about Deniliquin’s structure. The theory was first developed in the 1990s by Tony Yates, who goes on to co-author more research on the topic. The large structure will not be confirmed until the 2020 study of something under New South Wales.
“When an asteroid strikes, it creates a crater with a raised core. This is similar to how a drop of water splashes upwards from a passing crater when a pebble falls into a pond.”
Geologist Andrew Glickson
The next step was to confirm whether or not an asteroid impact was the reason for this structure. This can tell us more about how craters form on our planet. It could also tell us more about our planet’s history in how the Chicxulub crater is believed to have been caused by the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs.
But since it is a huge crater, the question may arise of how it was hidden for so long. As Gilkeson writes, “The history of the asteroid bombardment of Earth is largely hidden.” This is due to how the craters are formed.
So, when did this effect occur? Research indicates that it occurred more than 445 million years ago.
Gilkeson describes this phenomenon: “When an asteroid strikes, it creates a crater with a raised core. This is similar to how a drop of water splashes upwards from a passing crater when a pebble falls into a pond.”
Millions of years of erosion can obscure the central dome of these craters. The collision of Earth’s tectonic plates can coat such structures.
There are also plenty of clues to be found to trace this discovery to an asteroid crater. Ripples in the crust could indicate a higher impact temperature. Radial faults are also common to most crater impact sites.
So, when did this effect occur? Research indicates that it occurred more than 445 million years ago. This may link it to the late Ordovician mass extinction event, which is said to have wiped out 85 percent of Earth’s life.
Even with the many intriguing possibilities, more research is needed on Deniliquin’s structure. Gilkson suggests that deep drilling could provide additional evidence that this crater is an asteroid crater. Currently, the research is based only on the surface of the crater.
Worth noting here is how this discovery changes our perception of extinction events. The Chicxulub impact is less than half the size of Deniliquin, which was thought to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Research on Deniliquin’s structure has been slow, but this new information may yield more important research. If an asteroid caused it, the most pressing question remains: How big is that asteroid?
Deniliquin may become the most remarkable of all the craters that have impacted the Earth. There is no telling how many secrets lie at the core about millions of years on Earth and what influenced life on our planet.
