Meteorite strewnfield facts for kids
A meteorite strewnfield is a special area on Earth where many pieces of a single meteor fall are found. When a space rock, called a meteor, enters Earth's atmosphere, it can break into many smaller parts. These pieces, known as meteorites, then scatter across the ground. Sometimes, glassy objects called tektites are also found in these areas. Tektites are formed when the impact of a large meteorite melts and splashes Earth's rocks into the air, which then cool into glass as they fall back down.
How Strewnfields Form
Meteorite strewnfields usually form in one of two main ways:
Breaking Up in the Air
When a very large meteor zooms into Earth's atmosphere, it often breaks apart high above the ground. This happens because of the extreme heat and pressure. As the meteor fragments, its pieces spread out. They fall over a large, oval-shaped area. The shape of this oval depends on the meteor's path as it flew through the sky. If the meteor exploded more than once, you might find several overlapping oval areas where the pieces landed.
Breaking Up on Impact
Sometimes, a meteor stays mostly in one piece until it hits the ground. When it crashes, the impact itself can cause the meteor to shatter into many fragments. In these cases, the strewnfield often looks different. It might be more circular, centered around the impact point.
Famous Strewnfields
One of the most well-known examples is the Australasian strewnfield. This is the largest and newest tektite strewnfield ever discovered. Scientists believe it might cover a huge part of the Earth's surface, possibly between 10% and 30%! This massive area stretches across parts of Asia and Australia, showing just how far the melted rock from a single impact can travel.
