Researchers revise age of Oklahoma meteor impact site by 100 million years
University of Texas researchers at Ames, Oklahoma, determined a buried crater formed 370 million years ago instead of the previously believed 467 million years.
New dating confirms younger impact age
Scientists analyzed zircon crystals found within granites at the Ames location to establish a new timeline. The analysis indicates the meteorite struck during Late Devonian times rather than the Ordovician period. This finding shifts the event from 467.5 million years ago to approximately 370 million years ago.
Crater remains major oil producer
The impact structure lies beneath the surface of Ames and spans several miles underground. Despite being buried by sedimentary layers, the site continues to serve as a significant source for oil and gas production. The crater acts as an important marker for both the region's ancient past and current economy.
Implications for asteroid ring theory
The discovery challenges theories about a Saturn-like ring of asteroid debris that surrounded Earth during the Middle Ordovician. A large number of impact sites previously attributed to that era may require re-evaluation based on this new date. The sheer volume of impacts from this time period had led researchers to theorize the existence of such a ring.
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