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Mjølnir crater

Coordinates: 73°48′N 29°40′E / 73.800°N 29.667°E / 73.800; 29.667
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Mjølnir crater
Mjølnir crater is located in Arctic
Mjølnir crater
Location of the crater in the Arctic
Impact crater/structure
ConfidenceConfirmed
Diameter40 km (25 mi)
Age142.0 ± 2.6 Ma
Early Cretaceous
ExposedNo
DrilledYes
Location
LocationBarents Sea
Coordinates73°48′N 29°40′E / 73.800°N 29.667°E / 73.800; 29.667
CountryNorway

Mjølnir is a meteorite crater on the floor of Barents Sea off the coast of Norway.[1] It is 40 km (25 mi) in diameter and the age is estimated to be 142.0 ± 2.6 million years (Early Cretaceous). The bolide was an estimated 2 km (1.2 mi) wide.

Etymology

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Mjølnir is the name of Thor's mythological hammer. Giving the crater this name was presumably an allusion to the power of the weapon, which is often described as breaking and smashing rocks.

Description

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In 2006, a group of Swedish geologists discovered indications of a tsunami flooding the Swedish southern coast at about 145 million years ago. It is speculated[2] to be associated with the Mjølnir impact, together with similar indications discovered in 2000 in France.

References

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  1. ^ "Mjølnir". Earth Impact Database. Planetary and Space Science Centre University of New Brunswick Fredericton. Retrieved 2017-10-09.
  2. ^ Tsunami drabbade Skane
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