Further research is expected to start in April in Mexico and will be focused on the 66 million-year-old Chicxulub crater that is the site where the dinosaur destroying asteroid hit the earth in Mexico. The peak ring will be the first place to be probed as scientists are still unaware as to how this circle of mountains came about despite the fact that often appear after large impact craters appear.
The researchers hope to find out how rocks were pushed down to around 30 km from the earth’s surface before bouncing back up then dropping again to leave the peak ring in place. It is more surprising as all of this happened within a matter of minutes according to Joanna Morgan who is a geophysicist at London’s Imperial College.
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The expedition will last for two months, and a drill will be passed through 1,500 metres into rocks on the sea floor. It will go through carbonate rocks and then arrive at the “impact breccias.” 12 other boreholes along with wells looking for oil have already dug into the land based part of Chicxulub. So far the find includes a picture of shattered rock rings that remain as a reminder of the Earth’s most devastating day.
Mexico University geophysicist Jaime Urratia-Fucugauchi admits that whatever they find it will be a big surprise. The US, Mexico, and Europe are helping fund the $10 million project and due to the shallowness of the water, the lift boat “Myrtle” will be used to make a temporary drilling platform.
