Huge Impact Crater

[quantrex]

Possible impact crater that can be seen on a globe of the earth

Geologists are attempting to confirm or debunk the idea that a large part of Hudson Bay is a huge impact crater. Research is being done on minerals in the area to determine if this formation is a crater or not

I just wonder if they are taking into consideration that this impact may have taken place during an ice age? when there could have been up to 3 miles of ice above the earth.

This could cause many unforeseen variables for the geology of a impact of this magnitude

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/10/25/h...category=travel

[questionmark]

Possible impact crater that can be seen on a globe of the earth

Geologists are attempting to confirm or debunk the idea that a large part of Hudson Bay is a huge impact crater. Research is being done on minerals in the area to determine if this formation is a crater or not

I just wonder if they are taking into consideration that this impact may have taken place during an ice age? when there could have been up to 3 miles of ice above the earth.

This could cause many unforeseen variables for the geology of a impact of this magnitude

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/10/25/h...category=travel

If it is a impact crater it must have happened eons ago. So long that a island could form in the middle of it where the deepest point should be.

[Pax Unum]

Fascinating find... it will be interesting to see if this is an actual impact crater.

[Legatus Legionis]

Good Find... really interesting.

[Leonardo]

If it is a impact crater it must have happened eons ago. So long that a island could form in the middle of it where the deepest point should be.

Large impacts cause craters with a raised central peak. The island is probably just a remnant of that if this is indeed an impact crater.

Here's a little info on this.

[quantrex]

Large impacts cause craters with a raised central peak. The island is probably just a remnant of that if this is indeed an impact crater.

Here's a little info on this.

That image is a little far off so lets take a closer look. Notes the islands that fallow the arc like shock-waves near the outside of the crater

Think about it like this a crater that has been deformed by the motion of glaciers, kind of like sweeping it with a big broom.

Close up shot from

http://wms.jpl.nasa.gov/

[Essan]

I just wonder if they are taking into consideration that this impact may have taken place during an ice age? when there could have been up to 3 miles of ice above the earth.

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/10/25/h...category=travel

Given that there's been speculation for decades, and many geology books use this as an example of how not all round features are necessarily impact craters, I'm rather surprised such research hasn't been carried out before.

Given that the alleged crater is twice the size of Chicxulub I think it's fair to say that such an impact would have had major repercussions around the world and must be pretty old.

If it is a crater it's dating could well see some major changes to geological thinking. There's already speculation that Chicxulub isn't big enough, and is too early, to be the 'dinosaur killer' , and then there's the idea the P/T extinction 250mya could have been caused by an impact (but no impact has been found) .....

[quantrex]

Given that the alleged crater is twice the size of Chicxulub I think it's fair to say that such an impact would have had major repercussions around the world and must be pretty old.

Some of the research that has been done says that it is most likely not an impact crater, because they haven’t found shocked quarts in the area. That why I say have they taken into consideration what the effects of a thick sheet of ice above the earth’s surface would have it could act like a huge shock absorber

Look at what else could it be

Also if you look at continental drift maps it just kind of appears in the last 10 million years

[Leonardo]

Given that the alleged crater is twice the size of Chicxulub I think it's fair to say that such an impact would have had major repercussions around the world and must be pretty old.

Some of the research that has been done says that it is most likely not an impact crater, because they haven’t found shocked quarts in the area. That why I say have they taken into consideration what the effects of a thick sheet of ice above the earth’s surface would have it could act like a huge shock absorber

Look at what else could it be

Also if you look at continental drift maps it just kind of appears in the last 10 million years

Are these geologists mapping the gravitic and magnetic properties of the alleged crater? This may show whether it is indeed an impact feature. Another explanation is that is is simply a glacial feature.

[quantrex]

Are these geologists mapping the gravitic and magnetic properties of the alleged crater? This may show whether it is indeed an impact feature. Another explanation is that is is simply a glacial feature.

I haven’t found any research on gravitic or magnetic testing of the area there is very little research has been done that I can find besides some core samples that were done.

There is 1 other point I can make though and that is from the looks of it and the lack of erosion it is a pretty fresh impact so take this into consideration. The extinction of the mega fauna and the narrowing of the human genome.

Just a thought

[lateralus1222]

"Given that the alleged crater is twice the size of Chicxulub I think it's fair to say that such an impact would have had major repercussions around the world and must be pretty old.

Some of the research that has been done says that it is most likely not an impact crater, because they haven’t found shocked quarts in the area. That why I say have they taken into consideration what the effects of a thick sheet of ice above the earth’s surface would have it could act like a huge shock absorber

Look at what else could it be

Also if you look at continental drift maps it just kind of appears in the last 10 million years"

after looking for evidence of glacial lakes in northern new england and eastern canada, i noticed a peculliar arrangement of land mass. the mountain ranges of north america from a sort of glacial 'funnel.' this, along with climate (i refer to observable weather such as preasure systems, jet stream, prevailing winds, humidity, etc.) force the main network of glacial drift down into the center of what is now the central plains, when the climate is cool enough.

here is a relatively easy to read explanation on glacial lake dynamics, although lengthy, very informative

http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/govdocs/text...z/chapter5.html

normally, as ice melts, water becomes trapped under ice on northern moutain slopes. but what if the rockies won the galcial battle and forced the ice over the ancient appalachian fault line, grinding it down to a portion of of what it once was, but not completely. enough remains to restrict continential water flow to the ohio and then mississippi. and theoretically, an ancient glacial lake.

so what if, during a warming trend and glacial retreat, a large impact in northern canada were to strike far to the north from any real distinct terrain, and after the ice that had been flash boiled/vaporized, any ice-locked water would be free to rush out. now if the amount of water that was locked up was sufficient, it would wash away any real evidence of an impact. i think we are lucky to find such a large profile here. the evidence they need to concider this an impact will be found in cores drilled on the series of central islands and also the islands just outside the bay. there they will find more than they bargained for.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=59.....738281&z=4

the really scarey thought is what if the impact had occured say 10,000 years later, after the ice is no longer there to cushionn the force. if the size of the crater is an indicator, then our exsitence could be owed to the ice...

Edited March 4, 2008 by lateralus1222

[dest_titor1]

If it is a impact crater it must have happened eons ago. So long that a island could form in the middle of it where the deepest point should be.

Their is a little known fact about impact crates, at the center the leave very large mountains.

Edited March 13, 2008 by dest_titor1

[greggK]

At the time of the impact, the earth must have been going thru a large field of asteroids. There's one there, one that might have hit the Great Lakes area, one hit in Wetumka, Alabama, and one hit the Yucatan. The real interesting thing that should be figured out is the shape of the earth around the Puerto Rico area, there is a large amount of earthquakes there all the time, and Puerto Rico is at the end of a chain of mountains starting at Cuba.

The western end of Puerto Rico is the upper corner of a square something that was seated in the earth and the end of it is perfectly square from Puerto Rico running down the Leeward Islands to the north central tip of South America.

[Iaminvisible]

Even if that isn't an impact crater the earth has definitely been hit with asteroids before and it is only a matter of time before it happens again. What kind of precautionary measures should be made in such a case i wonder?