A new study indicates that the object that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago was a rare type of asteroid from the far reaches of the solar system.
A team of scientists led by Mario Fischer-Godde of the University of Cologne has studied the isotopic composition of ruthenium in rocks that formed after the asteroid hit. Ruthenium — is a rare metal that is almost absent in the Earth’s crust, as most of it is concentrated in the planet’s core. However, it is relatively common in space rocks. Scientists analyzed samples from five different locations in Europe where traces of the crash were found.
The researchers compared the data with the isotopic ratios in meteorites and rocks formed by other major collisions over the past 541 million years. The results showed that the «dinosaur killer» belonged to a rare type of C-asteroid that forms in Jupiter’s orbit.
Contrary to popular belief, the object was not a comet, but an asteroid. This discovery is important for developing strategies to protect the Earth from space threats. C-asteroids can enter orbit around the inner part of the solar system, which gives us a chance to detect and deflect them. However, there is a risk that such an object could appear unexpectedly, leaving us with only a few months to react.
Interestingly, most of the major collisions since the formation of the solar system have been caused by S-type asteroids. They are easier to detect, which increases our chances of preventing a catastrophe. Previous Studies have suggested that dinosaurs were destroyed by a comet, but new data refute this theory.
The results of the study published in the journal Science.
Source: Iflscience
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