Scientists dig 500 meters into the only meteorite crater in Spain to uncover the secrets of Mars and the Moon
Scientists in Almeria, southern Spain, have begun an ambitious project to drill underground into the country’s only internationally recognized meteorite crater. The site, which was formed by a massive impact about 8 million years ago, is now the focus of a research effort that could link events on Earth to the geology of Mars and the Moon, where similar impact craters exist.
The Almeria Crater is the only internationally recognized meteorite impact site in Spain, making it a rare natural laboratory. The crater was formed when a powerful meteorite struck the area millions of years ago, reshaping the surrounding landscape in ways that are still visible underground today.
Scientists are extracting core samples from 500 meters underground to study how the original impact of the rock layers changed and how the hole gradually filled over time. These samples provide a rare window into geological processes that unfolded over millions of years.
Researchers are specifically looking for impact quartz, a mineral deformation caused by the intense energy and temperature generated during a meteorite impact. Based on the results, this intense pressure can cause crystalline quartz to transform into an amorphous form, leaving a permanent geological imprint of the impact.
The research team says comparing impact quartz from the Almeria meteorite crater with similar deformations could help explain surface features observed on Mars, according to Euronews. Since impact events are more common on Mars due to its thin atmosphere, Earth-based data provide a valuable reference point.
By studying how the crater filled and slowly evolved, geologists hope to understand similar filling processes on Mars, including how ancient lake beds inside Martian craters formed and were exposed over time.
Direct comparison of Spain’s underground geological record with Martian orbital and rover data helps validate existing theories about planetary formation and impact history across the solar system.
A drilling project in Spain’s only meteorite crater is expected to continue providing insights long after core samples have been extracted, providing scientists with a rare Earth standard for understanding the surfaces of distant planets.
(With inputs from yMedia)
