Whitecourt crater
| Whitecourt crater | |
|---|---|
  Whitecourt crater Asteroid impact in North America | |
| Impact crater/structure | |
| Confidence | Confirmed |
| Diameter | 36 m (118 ft) |
| Depth | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Age | 1,080-1,130 Y |
| Bolide type | Iron meteorite |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 53°59′55″N 115°35′45″W / 53.9987°N 115.5957°W |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
Whitecourt crater is a meteorite impact crater in central Alberta, Canada, located approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of the Town of Whitecourt within Woodlands County. It is remarkable for being unusually well-preserved for a crater of small size and relatively young age.[1]
The crater is approximately 36 m (118 ft) in diameter and 6 m (20 ft) deep,[1] and its age is estimated to be between 1,080 and 1,130 years since the buried fragments of the impacting meteorite are all found above a layer of carbon from a forest fire dating around 1,100 years ago.[2]
The crater was found by Sonny Stevens, a 54-year-old resident of Whitecourt, on July 3, 2007 as he was using a metal detector while hunting in the area. The meteoritic nature of the fragments, and thus the authenticity of the crater, were confirmed[how?] by Dr. Chris Herd, professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Alberta.[3][dead link] The area has been placed within a 200-metre by 200-metre protected zone, within which collecting is prohibited and subject to a $50,000 fine or one year in jail. However, the vast majority[quantify] of fragments have been found[by whom?] on Crown land beyond the protected area.
More than 3,000 pieces of the impacting meteorite have been found[by whom?] (as of 2012). The pieces are shrapnel, mostly between a few grams and 500 grams in mass, with sharp edges and mechanically deformed from the impact, but showing no sign of impact melt.[citation needed] Over one dozen individual (non-shrapnel pieces that show regmaglypts) meteorites have also been found{{by who} with the largest weighing 31 kilograms.[citation needed] The meteorite fragments are irons of type IIIAB. Most fragments were ejected eastward from the crater.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Kofman, Randolf S.; Herd, Christopher D. K.; Froese, Duane G. (2010-11-29). "The Whitecourt meteorite impact crater, Alberta, Canada". Meteoritics and Planetary Science. 45 (9): 1429–1445. Bibcode:2010M&PS...45.1429K. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01118.x.
- ^ "Whitecourt". Earth Impact Database. Planetary and Space Science Centre University of New Brunswick Fredericton. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
- ^ "Whitecourt crater attracts visitors". Retrieved 2012-08-25.
- ^ "Whitecourt". Retrieved 2011-06-07.
External links
[edit]53°59′55″N 115°35′45″W / 53.9987°N 115.5957°W
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