Zijin Mountain Observatory and other revealing the mystery of the longest meteorite falling band in the world -the asteroid "water drift" broke into the earth

There is a 430 kilometer -long iron meteorite falling belt in the Altay region of Xinjiang. It is currently the longest meteorite falling belt in the world. An ordinary "meteorite rain" usually covers several kilometers to tens of kilometers, and why is this falling belt so long? The reporter learned from the Zijin Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on the 27th that Zitai experts and scholars at home and abroad found that the fall belt was formed by a small asteroid to break into the earth from a "water drift" from a very low angle. Related results have recently been published in the international academic journal "Scientific Progress". Yangtze Evening News/Zi Niu Journalist Yu Dandan

The largest "meteorite rain" in the world falls in Xinjiang

Xinjiang Altay area is known as a cluster of gorgeous tail feathers in China's "rooster". The region has found 28 tons, 23 tons, 18 tons, 5 tons, 0.43 tons, etc. 74 tons, the international official named Altay IIIE abnormal iron meteorite.

An ordinary meteorite rain distribution is usually within a few kilometers to tens of kilometers. However, the total length of the Altay Iron meteorite falling belt is 430 kilometers. From the northwest of Muwei County, Xinjiang, it has been running through the northwest direction of Altay. It far exceeds the ordinary falling belt and is the longest fall belt in the world.

Based on the research of predecessors, previously Zitai researchers and collaborators used the improvement of neutron activation methods improved by the University of California Los Angeles to confirm the consistent ingredients of these iron meteorite individuals. The internal mineral rock structure was the same. The result of the event.

Reveal the mystery of the formation of the longest fall belt

Unfortunately, such a spectacular meteorite rain did not leave any records in historical literature. So, where does this fall belt come in the end? Why is it so long?

Researchers at the Zijin Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted numerical simulation research on the formation mechanism of the Altay meteorite. The simulation calculation shows that a small asteroid weighing 280-3440 tons broke into the earth atmosphere at a speed of about 12-15 km/s. The way of drifting enters the atmosphere, the direction of flight from southeast to northwest.

The simulation results can better explain the distribution characteristics of Altay Iron meteorite. This work establishes a dynamic track evolution model of near -earth asteroids entering the earth atmosphere. Innovation proposes the "water drift" track fall mechanism of low -elevation impacts of small asteroids, revealing the world's longest known Altay fall belt. The mystery of formation builds a new method for the high precision of the near -ground asteroid impact on the high precision corridor.

On June 24, 2022, "Science Advances" ("Science Advances") published online the Planet Science and Deep Space Exploration and Research Department of the Purple Golden Mountain Observatory (Zitai) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Li Yan, Li Bin, Xu Weibiao, Liao Shiyong, Zhao Yuhui, Zhao Haibin Wait for the research results with scholars such as Sun Yat -sen University, Macau University of Science and Technology and the University of Arizona. The work is based on Altay's ultra -long iron meteorite falling band as the research object, combined with various methods such as rock minerals, global chemistry, numerical simulation, etc., providing an innovative interpretation for the formation mechanism of the ultra -long drop belt. At the same time, the full -scale "physical examination" of meteorite helps to reveal the "three origin" that is still being explored so far, that is, the origin of the universe, the origin of celestial bodies, and the origin of life.

related news

The meteorite is a cosmic meteor or small asteroid fragile block that runs away from the original orbit outside the earth and quickly scattered to the unparalleled stone, iron, or stone iron mixed substances on the surface of the earth or other planet.

As early as 1898, herders found a "big silver" on the Gobi Beach in the Qinghe County of the Aleutai area in northern Xinjiang. The appearance looked a little like camels. The locals were named "Silver Camel". This large stone weighing 28 tons was later identified as the Xinjiang Iron meteorite (international named Armanty). It is the largest meteorite in China and the fourth largest meteorite in the world. For more than 100 years since then, some meteorites were constantly discovered in the Altay region. Among them, the larger is the 430 kg of iron meteorite in 2004 and Ulasitai (Wuxilike (Wuxilike, which weighs 5 tons of tons in 2011, To.

Earlier, everyone did not put these meteorites together for research. Until the scientific researchers discovered that these three large iron meteorites were distributed on a straight line from southeast to northwest. Essence Since then, several large -quality iron meteorite individuals have been found in the area, which has continuously confirmed this speculation -an unprecedented meteorite rain in the Altay area of ​​Xinjiang.

In October 2016, scientists from the Zijin Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that these meteorites belonged to the world's largest meteorite rain -the International Meteorite Society was named "Altay Meteorite Rain".

Edit: Qin Xiaoyi

- END -