In India, there are three ancient meteor impact craters: Ramgarh in Rajasthan, Lonar in Maharashtra, and Dhala in Madhya Pradesh. Dhala, located in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri, is the Largest Impact Crater in Asia and the seventh-largest in the world, measuring 11 kilometers in diameter.

A recent discovery by scientists from Allahabad University and the University of Bern, Switzerland reveals that the Dhala crater was formed approximately 2500-1700 million years ago when a rare and ancient meteorite, known as Ureilite, crashed into India. Ureilites are a rare type of primitive meteorite, consisting of a silicate rock with olivine and pyroxene, along with a small amount of carbon, metal sulphides, and fine-grained silicates.

The researchers speculate that a one-kilometer diameter Ureilite meteorite entered Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of 15 km/s, colliding with the granitoid rocks of the Bundelkhand craton and creating the Dhala impact structure.

Understanding the Dhala crater can provide insights into the formation of our solar system. Researchers hope to uncover more secrets about this rare meteorite crater, including its potential role in delivering water to Earth and its influence on the development of life on our planet.

The findings of this study have been published in the journal Meteoritics and Planetary Science.

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