A pit discovered in a backyard in Quebec has been confirmed as a 390-million-year-old meteorite impact crater. The discovery, made by a local resident using Google Earth, rewrites part of Earth’s impact history.
The crater measures approximately 8 kilometers in diameter. It was spotted as a strange indentation on satellite imagery. An amateur astronomer, Joël Lapierre, noticed the circular structure while browsing Google Maps in 2022. He contacted scientists.
“I saw a perfect circle. It looked artificial,” Lapierre told researchers. His suspicion prompted an expedition. A team from Université Laval and the Royal Ontario Museum visited the site in 2023.
The scientists collected rock samples. They found shatter cones—distinctive fractures caused only by meteorite impacts. They also discovered planar deformation features in quartz grains. These are microscopic evidence of extreme shock pressure.
The crater’s age was determined using uranium-lead dating of zircons. The result: 390 million years ago, during the Devonian period. This places the impact in a poorly documented era for North American craters.
Key evidence confirmed the impact:
| Evidence Type | Description | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Shatter cones | Striated, cone-shaped rock fractures | Unique to impact events |
| Planar deformation features | Microscopic parallel lines in quartz | Indicates shock pressure >10 GPa |
| U-Pb zircon dating | Radioactive decay of uranium to lead | Provides precise age: 390 Ma |
The crater fills a gap in the geological record. Only about 200 confirmed impact craters exist on Earth. Most are younger than 300 million years or older than 600 million years. This one sits in between.
Its preservation is surprising. The crater is located in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, a region subject to erosion and glaciation. Scientists believe the impact site was buried quickly by sediment, protecting it from weathering.
“This discovery shows that amateur observers can still make major contributions to science,” said Dr. Pierre Lacroix, lead researcher at Université Laval. “Digital tools like Google Earth are democratizing exploration.”
Lapierre’s find is not an isolated case. Similar online searches have led to the discovery of a possible impact structure in China and a crater in Egypt. The pattern suggests many more craters may be hiding in plain sight.
Future research will focus on detailed geophysical surveys. Scientists plan to use ground-penetrating radar and magnetometry to map the subsurface structure. They will also compare the Quebec crater with others of similar age, such as the 380-million-year-old Siljan Ring in Sweden.
The Quebec crater remains unnamed. Lapierre has proposed “Marsal,” after the nearby town of Marsal. The formal naming process requires approval from the International Union of Geological Sciences.
For now, the pit is a reminder. A simple observation, a satellite image, and a curious mind can uncover a 390-million-year-old secret. The next great crater might be waiting in your backyard.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: How was the Quebec meteorite crater discovered?
- A: Amateur astronomer Joël Lapierre spotted a perfect circular indentation on Google Maps in 2022, prompting a scientific expedition that confirmed it as an impact crater.
- Q: What evidence confirmed it was a meteorite impact?
- A: Scientists found shatter cones and planar deformation features in quartz, both unique to high-pressure impacts, and used uranium-lead dating of zircons to determine its age.
- Q: Why is this crater significant for Earth’s impact history?
- A: At 390 million years old, it fills a poorly documented gap in North American impact records from the Devonian period, rewriting part of our planet’s geological history.
Extended Reading
The confirmation of the Quebec crater was first reported by CTV News and later covered by Space.com and Smithsonian Magazine. The discovery highlights the role of citizen science in modern geology. For more details, refer to the original reports from these outlets.