[meteorite-list] Uzbek Scientists Claim That Dry Lake is Ancient Meteorite Impact Zone

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Jul 19 11:44:23 2006
Message-ID: <200607191541.IAA23197_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://news.uzreport.com/uzb.cgi?lan=e&id=15250

Uzbek scientists claim that Dry Lake is ancient meteorite impact zone
UzReport.com
July 19, 2006

"More than 20 years ago the shots of the surface of Ustyurt plateau made
from space revealed an oval shaped structure in Kungrad district of the
Republic of Karakalpakstan (140km south-east of Shahpahta Village),
which corresponds to the geographical object known as Dry Lake. Based on
the data available today, the researchers have concluded that this is
most definitely a crater left by a meteorite," Regnum quoted a
specialist of the Institute of Mineral Resources under the State Geology
Committee of Uzbekistan, Alexey Gluh.

According to Gluh, the meteorite came from the north-west and hit the
ground in the south-east of Ustyurt plateau, approximately 50,000 years
ago. The impact created a ridge, and the meteorite itself went deep
below the earth surface. "We studied the area visually from the
helicopter. We are now applying other examination methods," said the
scientist. The scientist added that in 1999 Dry Lake was included in the
list of geological monuments of Uzbekistan.

Alexey Gluh noted that there were several place in Uzbekistan that could
tell a lot about different periods in the history of the Earth. In the
future, he said, these valuable sources of information would be given
the status of national monuments of nature.

Head of Department of the State Geological Information Center Georgiy
Pyanovskiy said the "Geological Monuments of the Earth" Programme had
been implemented in Uzbekistan for 15 years. "We have found several tens
of places that can be recognized as the geological heritage of the
Earth," he said. Meanwhile, he noted that Uzbekistan had oa sample of
international geological importance. Found in Kitab reserve of
Kashkadarya region, it is a deposition of layers of rock clearly
visualizing the boundaries between different subdivisions of periods in
the development of the Earth.
Received on Wed 19 Jul 2006 11:41:53 AM PDT