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One of the galaxy’s oldest whodunits may have finally been solved thanks to a simulation-fueled super detective from Harvard University. In this case, we may now know the origin of the Chicxulub crater.
Experts have long believed that the majority of dinosaur species were extinct after a massive asteroid, responsible for the Chicxulub crater near Mexico, hit Earth some 66 million years ago. But a new theory indicates that the particular asteroid that scientists believe was the end of Rex’s reign was not a lonely local stone, but a piece of a much larger body originating from the outskirts of the solar system. In addition, they also believe that it only made it to Earth after Jupiter interfered with its originally harmless path.
In other words: Jupiter saw an opportunity to lay the foundation stone and he did. The gravitational pull of the gas giant was, according to Harvard simulations, sufficient to deflect the comet and send it toward Earth. Before impact, the original piece broke and luckily only a small piece managed to hit our planet. This “little” piece was about 80 km wide and left a crater about 20 or 30 km deep – basically it’s like the whole city of Boston was thrown into the ocean near Mexico. from space.
The impact wreaked havoc on sea level, sent torrential tsunamis, caused forest fires and enveloped the Earth in an atmosphere of soot and precipitation. The results of this global catastrophe included the extinction of most of the large lizard creatures and the end of the era of the dinosaurs.
But where does the asteroid come from? Scientists of old thought it must have come from a belt between Jupiter and Mars, but new research indicates it’s highly unlikely. Due to the chemical makeup of the impact deposits found in the crater where this and other asteroids of similar or larger size struck, scientists believe it is likely that they came from the Oort Cloud, a distant band of planetism that resides at the edges of our solar system. .
The Harvard team got it all by testing their theory against computer simulations to understand the path such an asteroid would have to take to impact our planet.
By university press release:
Using statistical analyzes and gravitational simulations, [Harvard researchers] Loeb and Siraj say that a significant fraction of a type of comet from the Oort Cloud, a sphere of debris at the edge of the solar system, was deported by Jupiter’s gravitational field during its orbit and sent close to the sun, whose tidal force shattered pieces of rock. This increases the rate of comets like Chicxulub (pronounced Chicks-uh-lub) as these fragments pass through Earth’s orbit and strike the planet once every 250 to 730 million years or so.
Quick take: Jupiter is a jerk. If he could have kept his gravity to himself 66 million years ago, we would climb on pterodactyls to work and glide on a giant brontosaurus to hit the parking lot after leaving time. Then again, given that we’ll never know how many asteroids our gas giant planet saved us by being both bulky and awkward … maybe we should just be thankful that we had a long enough window in between. the level of extinction- impacts for the human race to spread and thrive.
You can find the team’s study linked here.
Published February 15, 2021 – 21:57 UTC
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