Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Likely a Giant Mudball, New Study Reveals

by AbuBakr 2024-08-16

by AbuBakr 2024-08-16 0 comment

Sixty-six million years ago, a pivotal event reshaped life on Earth when an asteroid collided with what is now the Yucatán Peninsula in Chicxulub, Mexico. This cataclysmic impact contributed to the extinction of approximately 75% of animal species, including most dinosaurs, leaving birds as the primary survivors. However, little remains of the asteroid itself. A recent study published in the journal Science sheds new light on the nature of the asteroid responsible for this mass extinction. Researchers suggest that the asteroid was a rare, clay-rich mudball containing primordial materials from the early solar system. This new insight into the asteroid’s composition is crucial for understanding the dynamic nature of our Solar System, according to Dr. Steven Goderis, a research professor of chemistry at Vrije Universiteit Brussel and coauthor of the study.

Understanding the Theory Behind Nonavian Dinosaur Extinction

The hypothesis that a colossal asteroid caused the extinction of the dinosaurs emerged in 1980, when scientists identified a global layer of iridium—a metal rare on Earth but abundant in asteroids. Although the actual asteroid was not discovered at that time, the presence of iridium supported the theory of an extraterrestrial impact. In 1991, the discovery of the Chicxulub crater confirmed that it was the right age and size to have resulted from a massive asteroid strike coinciding with the extinction event. Subsequent research has reinforced the evidence that this impact was indeed the catalyst for the catastrophic extinction. The asteroid, estimated to have been between 6 and 9 miles (9.7 to 14.5 kilometers) in diameter, was enormous. Its impact released immense energy, converting it into heat and vaporizing the asteroid. This explosion produced a global dust cloud, blocking sunlight and causing a significant drop in temperatures, which contributed to the extinction event. According to Goderis, “The asteroid left behind no substantial remnants, only a global chemical trace. This trace forms a tiny clay layer that can be recognized worldwide, marking the same instant in time, 66 million years ago.”

Revealing the Chemical Composition of the Asteroid

Asteroids and meteoroids are classified into three primary types: metallic, stony, and chondritic, each with distinct chemical and mineral properties. In their study, Goderis and his team, including lead author Dr. Mario Fischer-Gödde from the University of Cologne, analyzed the chemical composition of the clay layer from 66 million years ago to uncover the asteroid’s secrets. The researchers collected samples from Denmark, Italy, and Spain, isolating the metal ruthenium, which, like iridium, is more common in space rocks than on Earth. Their analysis revealed that the ruthenium’s chemical signature matched that of carbonaceous chondrites—ancient space rocks that often contain water, clay, and organic compounds. Goderis noted, “The perfect overlap with carbonaceous chondrite signatures suggests that the asteroid was a carbonaceous chondrite, a type of meteorite that contains a variety of compounds and is more porous and lighter than other types.”

Implications for Future Impact Events

Impacts of the scale of the Chicxulub event are rare, occurring every 100 to 500 million years. However, understanding the physical and chemical properties of asteroids is essential for planetary defense, especially as Earth may potentially encounter another large space rock. Goderis highlighted the importance of knowing how different types of asteroids interact with external forces. He referenced the 2022 DART mission, which involved NASA intentionally redirecting an asteroid. “Different types of asteroids react differently to impacts. For example, a carbonaceous chondrite is much more porous and absorbs impacts differently than an ordinary chondrite,” he explained. Dr. Ed Young, a professor of cosmochemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study, endorsed the findings. He affirmed that the conclusion that the asteroid was a carbonaceous chondrite adds significant depth to our understanding of the extinction event. “This discovery enriches our knowledge of what happened during the extinction of the dinosaurs,” Young noted.

Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Likely a Giant Mudball, New Study Reveals

Understanding the Theory Behind Nonavian Dinosaur Extinction

Revealing the Chemical Composition of the Asteroid

Implications for Future Impact Events

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