Whitecourt Meteorite Crater
The Whitecourt meteorite impact crater is a
well-preserved small crater located approximately 10 km (6.2 mi)
southeast of the Town of Whitecourt in Woodlands County, Alberta, Canada. It
is notable for its relatively young age, estimated to be between 1,080
and 1,130 years, and its small size, with a diameter of about 36 m (118
ft) and a depth of 6 m (20 ft). The crater was discovered in 2007 by
Sonny Stevens, a local resident, who used a metal detector while
hunting in the area. The meteoritic nature of the fragments was
confirmed by Dr. Chris Herd, a professor at the University of Alberta.
The
crater is associated with a type IIIAB iron meteorite, which impacted
the Earth at an angle between 40° and 55° to the horizontal, traveling
east-northeast at less than approximately 10 km/s. The impact resulted
in the formation of a bowl-shaped structure with features such as an
ejecta blanket, a raised rim, and shock indicators. Over 3,000
meteorite fragments have been found, with the largest weighing 31
kilograms. These fragments are distributed downrange of the crater and
are primarily composed of iron.
There are two distinct and very different appearances of
the specimens found. Most are jagged with a shrapnel-like morphology
created from a hyper-velocity impact, while other specimens are smooth
with a fusion crusted surface indicating they broke away from the
asteroid before impacting with earth.
The
crater is considered one of the youngest and best-preserved impact
craters in Canada, and it is one of fewer than 12 sites globally that
have meteor fragments and are younger than 10,000 years. The crater's
preservation is attributed to its location in a forested area, which
has helped protect it from erosion and human activity. |
