Australian crater could provide new insights into Earth’s geological history

Surface geological map of a proposed large Precambrian/Cambrian impact structure in Australia. Courtesy of Daniel Connelly.
A crater believed to stretch more than 370 miles (600 kilometers) across the center of Australia could transform our understanding of Earth’s geological history.
Researchers Daniel Connelly and Dr Arif Sikder from Virginia Commonwealth University believe they have found evidence supporting the existence of MAPCIS (Australian Precambrian-Cambrian Giant Impact Structure), a complex set of non-concentric craters that could provide new insights into the geological and biological evolution of the Earth.
“Working on the MAPCIS project has been an incredible journey,” said Sikdar, an associate professor in VCU’s School of Life Sciences’ Center for Environmental Studies. “The data we collected provides a unique glimpse into the forces that shaped Earth, and we look forward to the future research this discovery will inspire.”
This month, Connelly will present at Connects 2024, the Geological Society of America’s annual meeting in Anaheim, California. In August, he presented at the 37th International Geological Congress (IGC 2024) in Busan, South Korea.
The impact happened at the end of the Ediacaran period, which is part of the Neoproterozoic Era, from 1 billion to 538.8 million years ago, according to the researchers.
Geological evidence supporting the age, size and location of the impact includes the discovery of a large deposit of pseudotachylyte breccia (molten rock) near the center of the crater. Within the deposit, researchers found shocked minerals (including lonsdaleite, also known as shocked diamond) and impact-level amounts of iridium.
“The MAPCIS discovery is a testament to the power of collaboration,” said Connelly. “Our discovery not only highlights the importance of this impact structure, but also opens new avenues for understanding Earth’s geological past.”
Provided by Virginia Commonwealth University
Source: Australian crater could provide new insights into Earth’s geological history (September 23, 2024) Retrieved September 23, 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2024-09-australian-crater-fresh-insight-earth.html
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