[meteorite-list] Russian Scientists Find Crater in Meteorite-Hit Lake

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:06:41 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201303212106.r2LL6fwO020203_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://en.ria.ru/science/20130321/180166867.html

Russian Scientists Find Crater in Meteorite-Hit Lake
RIA Novosti
March 21, 2013

MOSCOW, March 21 (RIA Novosti) - A radar probe of the bottom of
Chebarkul Lake in Russia's Urals has revealed a crater possibly created
by a fragment of a meteorite that exploded over the city of Chelyabinsk
last month, a Russian scientist told RIA Novosti on Thursday.

The meteorite broke into approximately seven large fragments and one of
them is believed to have fallen into Chebarkul, forming a hole in the
ice about eight meters in diameter.

Analysis of minute rock fragments collected near the hole has confirmed
that they are from a meteor. Tests revealed they were chondrite, which
is the most abundant type of meteorite, and contained some 10 percent of
iron.

Scientists from Russia's Institute of Earth Magnetism, Ionosphere and
Radio Wave Propagation (IZMIRAN) carried out a study of the lake's
bottom using wide-band earth-sensing radars.

"A 3D image of the bottom shows a 3-meter crater that could have very
probably been created by impact with a large meteorite fragment," said
IZMIRAN researcher Alexey Popov.

Popov said the crater is not located directly beneath the hole in the
ice, but is some 10 meters to one side of it.

Emergencies Ministry divers searching the site in February failed to
find any traces of the meteorite as the bottom of the lake was covered
in a thick layer of silt.

The meteorite that slammed into the Urals region of central Russia on
February 15 landed with a massive boom that blew out windows and damaged
thousands of buildings around the city of Chelyabinsk, injuring 1,200
people in the area. Health officials say 52 people were hospitalized.

NASA estimates the meteorite was roughly 15 meters (50 feet) in diameter
when it struck Earth's atmosphere, travelling faster than the speed of
sound, and exploded in a fireball brighter than the sun.
Received on Thu 21 Mar 2013 05:06:41 PM PDT