Core Viewpoint - The Jinlin Meteorite Crater in Deqing County, Guangdong, has been confirmed as the largest Holocene meteorite crater on Earth, indicating the occurrence of the most significant extraterrestrial impact event during this period [1][4]. Group 1: Meteorite Crater Characteristics - The Jinlin Meteorite Crater is located in a low hilly area near Jinlin Water Town, with an elliptical bowl shape, measuring approximately 900 meters in diameter (northeast-southwest) and 820 meters (northwest-southeast), and a depth of about 90 meters [4]. - The impact event is estimated to have occurred in the early to mid-Holocene, making it a relatively young impact structure, with the energy equivalent to 600,000 tons of TNT [4]. Group 2: Research Significance - This crater is the fifth confirmed meteorite crater in China and the first in southern China, which has been well-preserved, providing a unique opportunity for scientific study [4]. - The discovery contributes significantly to global meteorite crater research, especially in tropical and subtropical regions, expanding the spatial distribution data of extraterrestrial impact events [5]. Group 3: Scientific Publication - The findings regarding the Jinlin Meteorite Crater were recently published in the academic journal "Matter and Radiation at Extremes" [6].
正式确认！广东金林陨石坑为万年来世界最大规模小天体撞击形成
Xin Hua Wang·2025-10-23 09:09