Double Meteor Impact That Hit Sweden 460 Million Years Ago To Be Confirmed By Scientists

A new and exciting discovery is the race of two giant meteorite impacts, showing a "double strike" in Sweden 460 million years ago, according to hngn.

These were "globally unique" craters, and were found in Jämtland. They have one enormous impression measuring over four miles in diameter and another that is just one-tenth of the size, according to the University of Gothenburg report.

"The two meteorite impacts occurred at the same time, 458 million years ago, and formed these two craters," said Erik Sturkell, Professor of Geophysics at the University of Gothenburg.

Even in the period in which the meteorites made a strike, there were two other huge asteroids that had a collision in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It caused fragments to be thrown into new orbits. Scientists found that during the strikes, Jämtland caved under 1,640 feet of water.

Hence, the discovery mark that the first meteorite strike has been conclusively proven in the earth's history.

"Information from drilling operations demonstrates that identical sequences are present in the two craters, and the sediment above the impact sequences is of the same age. In other words, these are simultaneous impacts," Sturkell said.

It so happened that during the occurrence of the impact, the water over the land was washed away and left the craters totally dry for a couple of minutes.

"The water then rushed back in, bringing with it fragments from the meteorites mixed with material that had been ejected during the explosion and with the gigantic wave that tore away parts of the sea bed," Sturkell explained.

Moreover, other meteorites---about 90 of them---have also been found in red limestone slabs near Kinnekulle, Sweden.

"Small meteorites survive the fall, while large ones explode and disintegrate. In Jämtland we have only found minerals from the meteorites, small grains of chromite," Sturkell said.