where is the meteor crater in new mexico

 

(2015) New laboratory and field studies on shatter cones (abstract #1077). Then step outside to gaze at the crater, stopping at various viewpoints that have scenic magnifiers. Sample collection at these sites is strongly discouraged, as these are unique and attractive exposures, and there is truly no shortage of material elsewhere. Most of the crater is off limits, but don’t feel cheated — it’s safe to say that the circular shape is going to look the same from pretty much any vantage point along the rim. Detrital Shocked Zircon Provides New Constraints on the Age and Size of the Santa Fe Impact Structure, NM (USA) (abstract #6171). PHOENIX – The Meteor Crater Rest Area on Interstate 40 between Flagstaff and Winslow in northern Arizona has closed for a nearly $3.5 million renovation project that’s expected to be completed by the fall. Find all the transport options for your trip from Meteor Crater to Albuquerque right here. Not a single living thing could have survived. Abstracts of the Bridging the Gap III: Impact Cratering In Nature, Experiments, and Modeling, http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lmi2008/pdf/3092.pdf, https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology/article-lookup/44/10/803, https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2017/eposter/6203.pdf, EARTH IMPACT DATABASE: SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, WIKIPEDIA ENTRY FOR SANTA FE IMPACT STRUCTURE. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. There are guided tours that take visitors along the rim and then there’s the self-guided walks along paved paths near the visitor’s center. Aside from the time change (Arizona is currently an hour behind New Mexico), there’s not much that distinguishes this part of Arizona from most of our surrounding landscape. The granite here, nearly 3 km from the first exposure of shatter cones along NM 475, and 5 km from 'Nun's Curve' are still massively deformed and displaced, possibly representing titanic clasts of a megabreccia, and reveal poorly formed shatter cones, meaning that shock pressures here still exceeded 2 to 10 gigapascals, or a minimum instantaneous force of about 300,000 lbs per square inch, or nearly 20,000 atmospheres. 39, No. Siobhan P. Fackelman, Jared R. Morrow, Christian Koeberl, Thornton H. McElvain, Shatter cone and microscopic shock-alteration evidence for a post-Paleoproterozoic terrestrial impact structure near Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Volume 270, Issues 3–4, 30 June 2008, Pages 290-299. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X08002100. Invisible to the naked eye, it requires a telescope to be seen from the rim. 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The regional extent of the rock subjected to adequate shock pressures to produce shatter cones, discussed and mapped in detail in Fackelman et al., 2008, suggests an impact crater that was originally as large as 10 to 15 km, and that is certainly no smaller than 6 km. #1286). Meteor Crater is about 10? The date of the impact coincides precisely with the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary(commonly known as the "K–Pg boundary"), slightly more tha… Will Webber/The New Mexican, Signs like these sit along the road leading from Interstate 40 to Meteor Crater, a massive hole in the ground created 50,000 years ago when a meteorite impacted northern Arizona's rocky plains at a speed that would allow it to travel from New York City to Los Angeles in less than five minutes. Wright S. P., Cavosie A. J. We are a new station but growing quickly. Go anyway. But for the diligent student of geology or impact astrogeology, the site offers some amazing exposures of breccia and shatter cones as evidence of the ancient, catastrophic collision. Visitors should always remain cautious and maintain situational awareness at these exposures, as the rock is shattered and potentially unstable. Be careful! Santa Fe crater is a very old impact structure that has been buried beneath younger sediment, exposed through erosion, and deformed and obscured by repeated episodes of faulting and buckling of the impacted rocks. Chamisa Trail 183 runs up a north-south oriented shallow, scenic valley, perpendicular to NM 475. The image above was taken nearly across the road from the entrance to Black Canyon, in Hyde State Park. Thank you for signing in! METEOR CRATER, Ariz. — Oh, to have been an astronomer perched atop the San Francisco Peaks outside Flagstaff, Ariz., about 50,000 years ago. 28 pages. (2014) Detrital shocked muscovite from the Santa Fe impact structure (USA) (abstract #2033). Because of the crater’s young age and the dry climate Meteor Crater is the best preserved impact crater … Colon Lugo, D., and Cavosie, A. J. I’m terrified of heights and had to gulp a little bit as I followed my kids around the edge of the crater but it was a stunning experience I won’t ever forget. Because the United States Board on Geographic Names recognizes names of natural features derived from the nearest post office, the feature acquired the name of "Meteor Crater" from the … . New evidence found in the Chicxulub crater suggests the black carbon that filled the atmosphere after an asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago was caused by the impact and not massive wildfires. Abstracts of the 80th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2017/pdf/6171.pdf, poster at: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2017/eposter/6203.pdf. Lugo-Centeno, C. M., Cavosie, A., Radovan, H. A. The best known exposures of impact altered rocks are less than 15 minutes from downtown Santa Fe, NM. Shatter cones are preserved in paleoproterozoic igneous and metamorphic crystalline rocks, including granite, schist, quartzite, and amphibolites (Fackelman et al., 2008). The hole itself spans about 4,000 feet. 2, p.61. The Interactive Discovery Center contains many exciting interactive displays and exhibits, making it the most extensive and informative museum of its type on earth. At best, it’s a trip into the past thanks to a healthy dose of science and history. The visitor’s center has seen serious upgrades over the years, with the construction of a modern museum with interactive exhibits and a movie theater that shows a 10-minute clip of how the crater was formed, complete with rumbling sound effects and dazzling computer animation. We are a new station but growing quickly. Abstracts of the 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Lugo Centeno, C. M., Cavosie, A. J., Radovan, H. A. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Abstracts of the 46th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2010/pdf/1286.pdf. 10, pages 803-806. https://doi.org/10.1130/G38179.1, https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology/article-lookup/44/10/803. Meteor Crater (Barringer Meteorite Crater) formed 50,000 years ago when an asteroid plunged through the Earth’s atmosphere and crashed into what would become central Arizona. Will Webber/The New Mexican, Weighing 1,400 pounds, this fragment of the Holsinger Meteorite is the largest piece of the 150-foot meteor that impacted Northern Arizona’s flat, rocky plain about 50,000 years ago. Abstracts of the 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. The granite here, nearly 3 km from the first exposure of shatter cones along NM 475, and 5 km from 'Nun's Curve' are still massively deformed and displaced, possibly representing titanic clasts of a megabreccia, and reveal poorly formed shatter cones, meaning that shock pressures here still exceeded 2 to 10 gigapascals, or a minimum instantaneous force of about 300,000 lbs per square inch, or nearly 20,000 atmospheres. (2017) Shatter cones and breccias of the Santa Fe impact structure, in: Recognizing Criteria for Ancient Impacts: A Workshop and Field Guide for the Santa Fe Impact Structure. It is a seriously impressive place to see. Vol. Shatter cones are everywhere in this area, present in all nearby roadcuts, in tallus slopes along the steep walls of the canyon, and in exposed in-situ rock faces. The image below shows poorly formed, but still unambiguous, shatter cones formed amidst pervasive slickensides in the rock wall imaged above, Tegtmeier, E. L., Newsom, H. E., Elston, W. E., McElvain, T. H. (2008) Breccias and geological setting of the Santa Fe, New Mexico USA. Respect copyrights: Post citations to sources appropriate Loading... instagram chiofnature. McElvain, T. H. (2007) Evidence for a major impact structure in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, near Santa Fe, New Mexico (abstract). 290–299. Abstracts of the 41st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. The microstructure of shocked xenotime (abstract #6250). Thank you for reading! The flash of light, the shockwave, the excavation of millions of cubic yards of crust all in a matter of seconds — it’s almost impossible to imagine. Chicxulub crater on the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, in a computer-generated image synthesized from gravity and magnetic-field data. On one side you’d have a view of the Grand Canyon, an untouched ribbon of majestic beauty still being carved into the landscape by what was then an untamed Colorado River. Abstracts of the 79th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2016/pdf/6250.pdf, Cavosie A. J., Montalvo P. E., Timms N. E., Reddy S. M. 2016. Abstracts of the 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. As NM 475 climbs eastward and northward, the impact altered rock units undoubtedly continue, but are no longer exposed. All rights reserved. Abstracts of the 41st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. 50,000 years ago! Learn more at Discovery.com The site had several earlier names, and fragments of the meteorite are officially called the Canyon Diablo Meteorite, after the adjacent Cañon Diablo. While Northern New Mexico has dozens of day trip destinations that are far closer, a trek here isn’t out of the question. At this location, shatter cones are sparse, and slickensides, or striated surfaces formed where rocks move against other rocks, are common. Outside in the main greeting area is a space-junkie’s hot spot. http://earth.lsa.umich.edu/earth315/Earth_315_Field_Trip_-_New_Mexico/References_files/Newson08_Impact.pdf. A.; Tegtmeier, E. L.; Petersen, M. T.; Read, A. S.; McElvain, T. H. (2007) Evidence for an Impact Structure in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Santa Fe, New Mexico (abstract). It was formerly believed that these two sites were two separate craters and that they formed a twin impact structure from a large-scale meteorite hit in the late Cretaceous. Be yourself: Accounts suspected of using fake The shattercone region represents a portion of the central uplift. Courtesy of Meteor Crater. Try pasting the link shown into a search engine or searching for the article authors, title, or other reference information. Flat, sandy, arid grasslands characterise the countryside east of Flagstaff, between the wooded hills of the Mogollon Rim and the delicate hues of the Painted Desert, and the only major natural attraction is the Meteor Crater, which lies 6 miles south of I-40, half way between The low-hanging roof is home to bats, and the legend of how the place got its name — the fire-related death of Apache warriors at the hands of Navajos seeking vengeance — makes it spooky as soon as you escape the desert daylight. At worst, a trip to Meteor Crater and the surrounding area is a moderate drive through hundreds of miles of high-desert landscapes. No commercial peddling: Promotions of commercial goods and http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2014/pdf/1839.pdf. Abstracts of the 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Other significant evidence: breccia, poorly developed planar fractures in quartz. Wright, S. P., Tegtmeier, E. L., Newsom, H. E. (2010) Diversity of breccias associated with the Santa Fe impact structure (abstract #1286). Cavosie, A. J. These primary exposures are located a couple hundred meters or so east of the Chamisa Trail trailhead, in the direction of Hyde Memorial State Park. We hope that you enjoy our free content. “Can you guess how much it weighs?” asks a museum employee, standing sentinel in his embroidered navy blue golf shirt behind a counter just a few feet away. (2014) Apatite for destruction (abstract #366). (2011) Santa Fe impact crater discovery: A series of fortunate events, Earth magazine, http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/santa-fe-impact-crater-discovery-series-fortunate-events. Shatter cones and breccia features are found on both sides of the valley, and extend nearly 1.5 km north of NM 475. Meteor Crater is a meteorite impact crater approximately 37 miles (60 km) east of Flagstaff and 18 miles (29 km) west of Winslow in the northern Arizona desert of the United States. , https://www.impactcraters.us/fieldguideSF2017.pdf, Wright S. P., Cavosie A. J. Fackelman et al. Looking across the valley from this roadcut, you can see the same stratigraphic pairing capping the tops of several nearby foothills. Newsom, H. E.; Elston, W. E.; Cohen, B. https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SE/webprogram/Paper215767.html. Meteor Crater. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.03.033, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X08002100. No one ever gets it right.”. Guided Rim Tours Listen and learn while The Meteor Crater Tour Guides retell the 50,000 old stories and geologic impact created from this rare event. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. Abstracts of the 80th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2017/pdf/6015.pdf. It is east of Flagstaff, AZ, and just a mile or so south of I-40. It’s part of a new 4-D experience that combines HD film with special effects and full-motion seats. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Abstracts of the 38th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. We do not have specific information on where meteorites are or are likely to be in New Mexico. Abstracts of the Large Meteorite Impacts and Planetary Evolution IV conference. On … Meteor Crater in Arizona, unbelievable and amazing to see. Thank you for reading! 6, p.760. Welcome! (2012) A Search for Detrital Shocked Zircons Eroded from the Santa Fe Impact Structure, New Mexico, USA (abstract #2014). 35 miles east of Flagstaff, 20 miles west of Winslow, in Arizona . Meteor Crater is located off I-40 at exit 233, Meteor Crater Road, then 6 miles south on the paved road. Find all the transport options for your trip from New Mexico to Meteor Crater Museum right here. (2013) A Search for detrital shocked zircons in the eroded Santa Fe impact structure, New Mexico, USA (abstract). Having visited a number of other impact craters around the United States, I expected to find it at least a little bit challenging to locate rocks that were unambiguously altered by the impact. The platform hangs directly above a steep cliff wall of Meteor Crater, giving a bird's eye view from a prime vantage point below the rim. Newsom, H., Elston, W., and Tegtmeier, E. (2008) Evidence for a major impact structure in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, near Santa Fe, New Mexico, A Field Guide. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2007/pdf/5307.pdf. (2014) First report of shocked zircon at the Santa Fe impact structure (USA) (abstract #1839), Abstracts of the 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Field trip guide prepared for the University of New Mexico E&PS alumni reunion. miles from the interstate out in the middle of cattle country. Observation deck outside of the Meteor Crater Visitor Center. Meteor Crater, AZ Meteor Crater measuring almost one mile across, 2.4 miles in circumference and more than 550 feet deep is the world's best preserved meteorite impact site on Earth. Legislature | New Mexico Legislative Session, Meteor Crater, a great big hole in the ground, is well worth the trip. Shocked quartz and local selective feldspar melting in a lithic breccia dike intersecting shatter coned target rocks at the Santa Fe impact structure, New Mexico, USA (abstract #1987). This section, which is included for each crater on this website, is not an exhaustive list of such published evidence, but is meant to demonstrate that appropriate work has been done for each listing. impact (abstract #3090). Sitting at the entrance to the museum is the pockmarked Holsinger Meteorite, a fragment from the original meteor that pierced the planet’s protective atmosphere and excavated the crater. personal attacks: Lively, vigorous conversation is welcomed and In January, Los Alamos hiker Coco Rae published Hiking Trails in Valles Caldera National Preserve, the first comprehensive guide to the 20-year-old preserve's trail system. Wiki Info: The Kara crater lies in the southeastern end of the Yugorsky Peninsula, while the Ust-Kara site lies offshore, 15 km east of the small Kara or Karskaya Guba inlet. Shattercones were found over an area of at least 3 square kilometers (Fackelman et al., 2007, 2008). Santa Fe crater was originally discovered in 2005, by an alert geologist, Tim McElvain, near the impressive shatter cone covered road cut wall shown above, when a rock or mud slide partially blocked NM 475. It is in Northeastern Arizona a little north of the Petrified Forest National Park as well as the magnificent Painted Desert. S. P. Wright and A. J. Cavosie (organizers). http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2014/pdf/1691.pdf, Cavosie A. J., Montalvo P. E., N. E., Reddy S. M. 2016. Geology, Volume 44, No. S. P. Wright and A. J. Cavosie (organizers). The 150-foot-wide chunk of iron-nickel instantly carved out what is still the planet’s most well-preserved meteorite impact site, forever changing what had been miles and miles of featureless terrain. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. The name pretty much says it all, but it’s a must-see according to the aforementioned museum employee if, for no other reason, the creepiness factor sets it apart from just about everything else. It is located 37 miles east of Flagstaff, Ariz. Will Webber/The New Mexican, Spanning 4,000 feet in diameter and roughly 700 feet deep, Meteor Crater dwarfs anything that lies within, including this 6-foot astronaut cutout standing at the bottom of the crater. Meteor Crater Arizona. Where: Northern Arizona, 37 miles east of Flagstaff, Ariz., just off Interstate 40, Travel: From Santa Fe, it’s about a 365-mile trip (about five hours) each way, Cost: $18 for adults, $9 for kids, free for children 5 and under, Availability: Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed on Christmas Day). The Santa Fe impact crater is exposed in a valley in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, along NM 475, between Santa Fe, NM, and Hyde Memorial State Park. Aug 12, 2013 - the crater in new mexico | meteorite crater, new mexico Not far away is a test capsule similar to those used during the moon missions, plus dozens of photographs depicting the biggest names in space travel and their ties to Meteor Crater. identities can be removed from the forum. A curved brick enclosure houses the American Astronaut Wall of Fame, a wall that lists dozens of space heroes past and present. Cavosie, A. J., and Lugo Centeno, C. (2014) Shocked apatite from the Santa Fe impact structure (USA): a new accessory mineral for studies of shock metamorphism (abstract #1691). The Grand Canyon is about two hours away, but just a few miles down the road is the Apache Death Cave.