Chinese scientists discover meteorite crater on mountain ridge for first time

Chinese scientists have discovered a meteorite crater on a mountain ridge for the first time, according to an article recently published in the academic journal Matter and Radiation at Extremes.

Meteorite craters on Earth are circular depressions formed by the impact of celestial bodies such as asteroids from space. Meteorites are not only a fascinating presence in nature but also one of the important bases for the scientific study of outer space, according to experts with the Beijing-based Center for High Pressure Science & Technology Advanced Research.

So far, more than 200 meteorite craters have been identified and confirmed on Earth, but meteorite craters discovered within China are extremely rare, said the center.

The newly discovered Hailin impact crater is located in the northern mountains of the city of Hailin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. This crater was formed on the ridge of a mountain, with a diameter of 1,360 meters, shaped like an elliptical dustpan. The height difference between the highest point on the rim and the lowest point in the center of the crater is over 100 meters, resembling a large funnel hanging on the ridge, a branch of the Changbai Mountains.

"This impact occurred in the late Cenozoic Era, hundreds of thousands of years ago," explained Chen Ming, a researcher at the center.

This discovery helps enrich human understanding of the history of planetary collisions and provides a new perspective for exploring the impact cratering mechanisms and shock metamorphic effects of special terrain and landforms in China, according to experts.

(Cover: Illustration of a meteorite crater. /CFP)