Largest asteroid impact found in Australia

Scientists in Australia say they have uncovered evidence of the largest asteroid impact ever found on Earth. The 400km-wide zone is thought to be the result of a double impact more than 300 million years ago
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Alice Springs

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Finke

West Warburton Basin

Oodnadatta

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Warburton Basin boundary

Areas of deepestgeophysical modelling

QUEENSLAND

Birdsville

Lake Eyre

East Warburton Basin

Marree

Chicxulub crater to scale

NEW SOUTH WALES

100km 60 miles

WARBURTON BASIN IMPACT
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Discovery: Geothermal research 2km below Earth’s surface found traces of rock turned toglass, consistent with massive impact

Geophysical modelling: Shows evidence of two underground craters, each 200km wide,indicating asteroid split in two before collision

Depth: Impact fractured Earth’scrust to depth of 20km

Size: More than four times larger than Chicxulub asteroid strike in Mexico’s Yucutan Peninsula, thought by many scientists to have wiped out dinosaurs 65 million years ago

Age: Rocks around impact zone at least 300 million years old, but absence of sedimentary ash layer could mean impact is much older

AUSTRALIA

Detail map

1000km 620 miles
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Artist’s impression of asteroid hitting Earth
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Sources: Australian National University, wire agencies

Pictures: Bing Maps, NASA

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