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Forbes
13 hours ago
- Science
- Forbes
Geological Clues Connect Arizona Meteor Impact To Massive Landslide In Grand Canyon
Aerial view of Meteor Crater in Arizona. getty A new study highlights the striking coincidence in the geologic ages of the famous Meteor Crater in Arizona and a landslide dam that blocked the Colorado River, forming a paleolake in the Grand Canyon 56,000 years ago. Driftwood and lake sediments have been long known in a cave called Stanton's cave in Marble Canyon of eastern Grand Canyon. The mouth of the cave is 45 meter above the river, so how did they end up there? 'It would have required a ten-times bigger flood level than any flood that has happened in the past several thousand years. Or maybe they are very old deposits left as the river carved down, or maybe they floated in from a paleolake caused by a downstream lava dam or landslide dam? We needed to know the age of the cave deposits,' explains Karl Karlstrom, emeritus earth science professor at the University of New Mexico and lead author of the study. In the mid 1960's, Karlstrom's father, Thor, was in the cave as part of a cross-disciplinary geology-archeology research. They found evidence of species that went extinct in Grand Canyon like the California condor and Harrington's Mountain goat; they also found split twig figurines made 3,000 to 4,000 years ago by the ancestors of tribes that live around Grand Canyon. The driftwood was dated to be greater than 35,000 years which was near the limit of the radiocarbon dating method at the time; this age got recalculated in 1984 to 43,500 years. The new study, using new methods and analyses from two labs in New Zealand and Australia reports a date of 56,000 years old. In the 1980's Richard Hereford of the USGS in Flagstaff had proposed that there was a rockslide near Nankoweap Canyon, about 35 kilometers downstream of Stanton's Cave, that might have formed a dam and a paleolake that backed up water and that allowed driftwood to float into Stanton's cave. If so, driftwood should be found also in other caves, flooded at the same time. 'From numerous research trips, Karl and I knew of other high-accessible caves that had both driftwood and sediment that could be dated,' says coauthor Dr. Laurie J. Crossey. The additional wood samples provided ages around 55,600 years. In one — now almost inaccessible — cave there were even beaver tracks preserved in the sand, suggesting that high water levels persisted for quite some time. Based on sedimentation rates in the canyon, the paleolake likely existed for at least 1,000 years before filling up or breaching the landslide dam. Conceptualization of Nankoweap landslide that brought down large boulders of Kaibab Limestone from ... More the cliffs at left and created a geologically short-lived paleolake in Grand Canyon. Karl Karlstrom/University of New Mexico Landslides can be triggered by erosion, earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, but in theory also the shock waves of an asteroid impact could be Coauthor Dr. David Kring, head of the Center for Lunar Science and Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, and an expert on the famous Meteor Crater in Arizona, had been working to recalculate the age of the crater, concluding that the impact happened 53,000 to 63,000 years ago. Was the Meteor Crater impact enough to cause such a landslide? Kring has written about the physics of this and other impacts and has calculated that the impact would have set off a magnitude 5.4 earthquake (or even M6 using different assumptions) and that the shock wave would still have been ~M3.5 after traveling (in seconds) the 160 kilometers north to Grand Canyon. So, the impact could have 'shaken loose' the steep cliffs of Grand Canyon that were 'waiting and ready to go,' as shown by numerous rock falls that happen in Grand Canyon still today. "The meteorite impact, the massive landslide, the lake deposits, and the driftwood high above river level are all rare and unusual occurrences. The mean of dates from them converge into a narrow window of time at 55,600 ± 1,300 years ago which gives credence to the hypothesis that they were causally related,' concludes Karlstrom. The full study, "Grand Canyon landslide-dam and paleolake triggered by the Meteor Crater impact at 56 ka," was published in the journal Geology and can be found online here. Additional material and interviews provided by University of New Mexico.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
A meteor may have led to the formation of the Grand Canyon, new study says
A meteor may have led to the formation of the Grand Canyon, a new study has found. While many Americans are familiar with the Grand Canyon's beauty and uniqueness, they may not be aware of the story behind its formation. The Colorado River may have etched the canyon one mile deep, as rocky debris transported in floods did most of the carving, according to the Grand Canyon Conservancy. But what caused the flooding? A study published in Geology on Tuesday tied another Arizona landmark, the Meteor Crater, to the formation of the Grand Canyon. A meteor may have led to the formation of the Grand Canyon, a new study has found (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images) The study hypothesized the Meteor Crater, which was formed 56,000 years ago, triggered landslides in the Grand Canyon that blocked the Colorado River and formed a paleolake — a lake that has existed in the past— in the canyon. Geologists have long wondered how and when driftwood found in Stanton's Cave in the Grand Canyon got there, as the mouth of the cave is 150 feet above the river. There are also lake sediments found in the cave. "It would have required a 10-times bigger flood level than any flood that has happened in the past several thousand years,' one of the study's authors, University of New Mexico Distinguished Professor Emeritus Karl Karlstrom, said in a press release Tuesday. He continued: 'Or maybe they are very old deposits left as the river carved down, or maybe they floated in from a paleolake caused by a downstream lava dam or landslide dam? We needed to know the age of the cave deposits.' A study published Tuesday tied the Meteor Crater to the formation of the Grand Canyon (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images) The study hypothesized the Meteor Crater, which was formed 56,000 years ago, triggered landslides in the Grand Canyon that blocked the Colorado River and formed a paleolake, in other words, a former lake, in the canyon () The study found the driftwood to be 56,000 years old, the same geologic age as the asteroid impact and the landslide dam. Researchers suggested because the landslide appears to have the same age as Meteor Crater, the asteroid impact blast caused the landslide. The paleolake formed from the landslide, which dammed the Colorado River. Caves, such as Stanton's Cave, were flooded by the paleolake.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Meteor strike may have triggered a landslide in the Grand Canyon some 56,000 years ago
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - Two landmarks in the Desert Southwest may share a historic connection, unveiled in a study published in the journal Geology. Researchers led by a team at the University of New Mexico suggest that a large meteor triggered a massive landslide in the nearby Grand Canyon, blocking the Colorado River and forming a 50-mile-long lake. Evidence comes from decades of investigative work involving driftwood and lake sediments found in caves high above the river in the Grand Canyon. So how did decaying wood make it to at least 150 feet above the surface of the water? "It would have required a ten-times bigger flood level than any flood that has happened in the past several thousand years," Karl Karlstrom, the study's co-author, stated. "Or maybe they are very old deposits left as the river carved down, or maybe they floated in from a paleolake caused by a downstream lava dam or landslide dam." Original carbon dating performed in the 1960s estimated that the wood was at least 35,000 years old, but modern technology provided a more precise estimate of around 55,600 years - a time period that matches a meteor strike estimated to have occurred between 53,000 and 63,000 years ago. Prolonged Heat Waves At National Parks Could Pose Serious Risks To Visitors The study suggests that after the meteor collision, a shock wave, resembling at least a magnitude-5.4 earthquake, loosened rocks and cliffs, creating a landslide that effectively acted as a dam for the Colorado River, which then formed a lake. Based on aquatic sediments tested, researchers estimated the lake would have stretched about 50 miles and reached depths of at least 300 feet. "The team put together these arguments without claiming we have final proof; there are other possibilities, such as a random rockfall or local earthquake within a thousand years of the Meteor Crater impact that could have happened independently," Karlstrom explained. "Nevertheless, the meteorite impact, the massive landslide, the lake deposits, and the driftwood high above river level are all rare and unusual occurrences. The mean of dates from them converge into a narrow window of time at 55,600 ± 1,300 years ago which gives credence to the hypothesis that they were causally related." Over time, the dam that once blocked the Colorado River is thought to have eroded, and the massive lake has since dried up and filled with debris. Nearly 300 Queen Conchs Found After Illegal Harvest In Florida Keys Experts with the Lunar and Planetary Institute estimated that the size of the asteroid was likely in the ballpark of 100 to 170 feet across, which is large enough to destroy a community the size of Kansas City. Researchers did not state whether other nearby rockfalls may be attributed to the meteor strike or whether they happened overtime through a more natural Earth-based article source: Meteor strike may have triggered a landslide in the Grand Canyon some 56,000 years ago Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Meteor impact may have triggered massive Grand Canyon landslide 56,000 years ago
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A meteorite impact thousands of years ago may have triggered a landslide in the Grand Canyon and reshaped the Colorado River that runs through the national park. Geologists studying driftwood and lake sediments found in Stanton's Cave — in Marble Canyon, which lies in the eastern part of the Grand Canyon — revealed a possible connection between the area and the famous impact site known as Meteor Crater (also called Barringer Crater) in northern Arizona. Through excavation and multiple rounds of radiocarbon dating, researchers determined the driftwood is about 56,000 years old. Yet today, the mouth of Stanton's Cave sits 150 feet (46 meters) above the Colorado River. A new study suggests the wood was carried there by an ancient paleolake, formed when a massive landslide dammed the river. "It would have required a 10-times-bigger flood level than any flood that has happened in the past several thousand years," Karl Karlstrom, co-lead author of the study and an Earth and planetary science professor at the University of New Mexico, said in a statement from the university. The study claims that the strike that created Meteor Crater could be linked to a paleolake — an ancient lake that existed in the past but has since dried up — in the Grand Canyon that formed at the same time. The impact would have generated an earthquake around magnitude 5.4 to 6, which could have sent a shock wave powerful enough to shake loose unstable cliffs in the Grand Canyon 100 miles (161 kilometers) away and trigger a massive landslide. That event, in turn, could have deposited enough debris to dam the river and form a lake. Other caves high above the river have also been explored for clues about the canyon's geological past. In addition to the driftwood, ancient beaver tracks have been found in areas that would be inaccessible to the water-dwelling animals today, further supporting the idea that a paleolake once existed in the area. RELATED STORIES — Meteor crater: The hole from space that keeps on giving — Satellite images track Grand Canyon wildfires burning across thousands of acres — A dangerous asteroid will hit Earth at some point. What can we do about it? With driftwood and sediment samples found in many caves as high up as 3,084 feet (940 m), the researchers estimate the paleolake would have been about 50 miles (80 km) long and nearly 300 feet (91 m) deep. Over time, the dam that blocked the Colorado River could have been overtopped and deeply eroded, eventually filling up with sediment. While there is evidence linking the paleolake, the meteorite impact and resulting landslide, the researchers noted that further study is required to eliminate any other possible explanations for the river damming, such as random rockfall or a more local earthquake around the same time. Their findings were published July 15 in the journal Geology. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Giant meteor impact may have triggered massive Grand Canyon landslide 56,000 years ago
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The ancient meteor impact that formed Arizona's Barringer Crater sent shock waves through the Grand Canyon — likely triggering a landslide that dammed the Colorado River, a new study suggests. Barringer Crater, also called Meteor Crater, formed between 53,000 and 63,000 years ago, when a giant cosmic "curveball" punched a hole in Earth's surface. The force of the impact traveled more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the Grand Canyon, which may have caused an entire cliff face to collapse into the river, scientists have found. The discovery, described July 15 in the journal Geology, has linked two major events that were thought to be completely unrelated. "There are other possibilities, such as a random rockfall or local earthquake within a thousand years of the Meteor Crater impact that could have happened independently," Karl Karlstrom, a professor of Earth and planetary sciences at the University of New Mexico and lead author of the study, said in a statement. But the events described are extraordinary, Karlstrom said — and they happened within a suspiciously small time frame, suggesting that they were related. Related: Grand Canyon Dragon wildfire burns down historic lodge and triggers toxic gas leak Researchers already knew that the Colorado River flooded the Grand Canyon sometime in the Late Pleistocene (129,000 to 11,700 years ago). They determined this by analyzing animal figurines carved out of driftwood, which Karlstom's father and colleagues unearthed in a cavern called Stanton's Cave in the 1960s, according to the statement. With techniques available at the time, the researchers dated the driftwood and found it was more than 35,000 years old. (The figurines themselves were carved between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago.) Stanton's Cave sits 150 feet (46 meters) above river level, so the water must have risen to deposit driftwood there — but the reason remained unknown. "It would have required a ten-times bigger flood level than any flood that has happened in the past several thousand years," Karlstrom said. "Rare and unusual occurrences" Subsequent analyses using more advanced techniques suggested the driftwood was 43,500 years old, and the new study pushed the date back even further, to 56,000 years ago. Dating the driftwood was a crucial step in figuring out how it got to Stanton's Cave in the first place, Karlstrom said. But the researchers needed more evidence to complete the puzzle, so they searched similar caves in the area. "From numerous research trips, Karl and I knew of other high-accessible caves that had both driftwood and sediment that could be dated," study co-author Laura Crossey, also a professor of Earth and planetary sciences at the University of New Mexico, said in the statement. Several labs examined the additional driftwood samples, and all came back with dates consistent with a flooding event 56,000 years ago. The locations of the caves pointed to this event being a landslide near Nankoweap Canyon, which is downstream of Stanton's Cave. The landslide may have been so big that it created a dam on the Colorado River, forming a lake that stretched for miles upstream. As a result, water levels may have risen high enough to deposit driftwood in the caves, according to the statement. Around the same time as these results appeared, study co-author David Kring, principal scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, was recalculating the age of the Barringer Crater. Kring's work showed that the meteor impact occurred around 56,000 years ago, according to the statement. RELATED STORIES —North America is 'dripping' down into Earth's mantle, scientists discover —Hells Canyon caves reveal unexpected finding about America's deepest gorge —There's a massive fault hidden under America's highest mountain — and we finally know how it formed Kring had previously calculated that the Barringer meteor impact unleashed a magnitude 5.4 earthquake, and when the researchers came together to work on the new study, he determined that the residual effect at the Grand Canyon would have been the same as a 3.5 magnitude earthquake. This could have been enough to disintegrate a cliff face, according to the statement. "The team put together these arguments without claiming we have final proof," Karlstrom said. "Nevertheless, the meteorite impact, the massive landslide, the lake deposits, and the driftwood high above river level are all rare and unusual occurrences." With dates that all converge around 56,000 years ago, it seems credible for the events to be related, he said. Solve the daily Crossword
