Glasford crater
Site of crater from south, at intersection of Cowser and Kingston Mines Rds.
Impact crater/structure
ConfidenceConfirmed
Diameter4 kilometres (2.5 mi)
Depth350 metres (1,150 ft)
Age< 430 Ma
ExposedNo
DrilledYes
Location
Coordinates40°36′N 89°47′W / 40.600°N 89.783°W / 40.600; -89.783
CountryUSA
StateIllinois
MunicipalityGlasford, Illinois

The Glasford crater, also known as the Glasford Disturbance, Glasford Structure,[1] and Glasford Cryptoexplosion Structure[2], is a buried impact crater in southern Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States.[3] It is one of two known meteor craters in Illinois.[4]

It is 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) in diameter and the age is estimated to be less than 430 million years (Silurian or younger).[5][6] It was formed in a marine environment in the Late Ordovician period.[7][8] The meteorite is estimated between 50 and 90 million tons and likely originated in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.[9]

The Glasford crater was discovered by the Central Illinois Light Company (formerly CILCO, now Ameren) while drilling wells for underground natural gas storage.[10][11] It is not visible from the surface, as it is covered by agricultural farmland.[12][11] The present day location is near the intersection of Cowser and Kingston Mines roads.[9] It was identified in 1963 as a probable impact structure.[5][13] In the 1980s, scientists identified shatter cones.[5] Geologists estimate the meteor released a large amount of energy, roughly equivalent to 20,000 nuclear bombs, 460 million tons of TNT, or two to three times the energy of the Mount St. Helens eruption.[11][9]

According to research by geologist Charles Monson, the Glasford crater may be connected to the Great Ordovician Meteor Shower.[14] Dr. Birger Schmitz's study suggests that the dust from the meteor impact may have impacted Earth's climate and contributed to the mid-Ordovician Ice Age.[4][14]

References

  1. ↑ Freeberg, Jacquelyn H. (1966). Terrestrial impact structures: a bibliography. Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off. p. 42.
  2. ↑ Ryan, Robert; Buschbach, T. C. (1963). "Tectonic History of the Glasford Cryptoexplosion Structure: ABSTRACT". AAPG Bulletin. 47 (2): 368–369. ISSN 0149-1423.
  3. ↑ "Glasford". Earth Impact Database. Planetary and Space Science Centre University of New Brunswick Fredericton. Retrieved 2009-08-13.
  4. 1 2 Jolley, Tiffany (2019-11-12). "Prairie Research Institute News". blogs.illinois.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  5. 1 2 3 Monson, Charles C.; Sweet, Dustin; Segvic, Branimir; Zanoni, Giovanni; Balling, Kyle; Wittmer, Jacalyn M.; Ganis, G. Robert; Cheng, Guo (2019). "The Late Ordovician (Sandbian) Glasford structure: A marine‐target impact crater with a possible connection to the Ordovician meteorite event". Meteoritics & Planetary Science. 54 (12): 2927–2950. doi:10.1111/maps.13401. ISSN 1086-9379. OSTI 1767765. S2CID 210296191 – via Wiley.
  6. ↑ "Glasford". www.passc.net. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  7. ↑ Alwmark, C; Monson, C.C. (2021). "The Late Ordovician (Sandbian) Glasford structure: A marine‐target impact crater with a possible connection to the Ordovician meteorite event". 52nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2021. 54 (12): 2927–2950. doi:10.1111/maps.13401. OSTI 1767765. S2CID 210296191.
  8. ↑ Buschbach, Robert Ryan T. C. (1963). "Ordovician Explosion Structure at Glasford, Illinois". AAPG Bulletin. 47 – via ResearchGate.
  9. 1 2 3 "Meteor cratered central Illinois". Burlington Hawk Eye. 1999-09-20. p. 4.
  10. ↑ Meteorite Research - Progress Report Archived 2006-05-24 at the Wayback Machine, Research Subcommittee, Associate Committee on Meteorites, National Research Council of Canada, 1967
  11. 1 2 3 Vlahos, Nick (2017-02-20). "Nick in the AM: When a meteor landed near Glasford". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  12. ↑ "GLASFORD IMPACT STRUCTURE – Crater Explorer". Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  13. ↑ "Where Meteor Crashed Near Glasford". Peoria Journal Star. 1963-04-09.
  14. 1 2 Shelley, Tim (2019-11-19). "Glasford Meteor May Have Played A Role in Ancient Ice Age". WCBU Peoria. Retrieved 2023-10-02.


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