Wetumpka crater facts for kids
Wetumpka Impact Crater historic marker
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| Impact crater/structure | |
|---|---|
| Confidence | Confirmed |
| Diameter | 4.7 miles (7.6 km) |
| Age | 81.0 ± 1.5 Ma |
| Exposed | Yes |
| Drilled | Yes |
| Bolide type | Chondrite? |
| Country | USA |
| State | Alabama |
| District | Elmore County |
| Municipality | Wetumpka |
The Wetumpka impact crater is a super cool spot in Alabama, United States. It's the only place in Alabama where scientists have confirmed that a space rock hit the Earth! You can find it just east of downtown Wetumpka in Elmore County.
This giant bowl in the ground is about 4.7 miles (7.6 km) wide. Scientists think it was formed around 85 million years ago. That was during the late Cretaceous period, a time when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth!
Scientists believe a huge meteorite, about 1,100 feet across, crashed here. It likely hit at an angle into a shallow sea, which was about 300–400 feet deep. The impact created the crater we see today.
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What is the Wetumpka Crater?
The Wetumpka Crater is a special place where a space rock, called a meteorite, hit our planet. It's like a giant dent in the Earth's surface. This crater is really well-preserved, meaning it still looks a lot like it did after the impact.
How Was the Crater Discovered?
A geologist named Thornton L. Neathery first found the Wetumpka Crater in 1969–70. He was mapping the area and noticed something unusual. He wrote about it in 1976, but more proof was needed.
Finding the Proof
In 1998, David T. King, Jr. and his team found important evidence. They discovered something called shocked quartz in a rock sample from the crater's center. Shocked quartz is a type of mineral that only forms under extreme pressure, like from a meteorite impact. This was the key!
By 2002, researchers from Auburn University confirmed these findings. Their work officially made the Wetumpka Crater an internationally recognized impact site. It's a big deal for science!
Images for kids
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Wetumpka Impact Crater historic marker
