Earth Science Wire

lnside the mysterious Yamal crater

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July 22, 2014

The crater, which is 70 meters deep, has an icy lake at its bottom. Photo by Andrey-Naumenko via Siberian Times.

The mysterious crater on the Yamal Peninsula, discovered by helicopter last week, is not as wide as original aerial estimates suggested. It is now thought to be about 30-60 meters wide, in contrast to original estimates of up to 100 meters. Meanwhile, the crater is now known to be up to about 70 meters deep, and it’s seen to have an icy lake at its bottom. There is water flowing down the smooth crater walls. A Russian science team has returned from exploring the crater, and they still say it is a natural formation, but there are no easy answers as to what caused it.

Their next step, they say, is to use Russian satellite pictures to fix the moment when the crater suddenly formed. They believe the crater was not there two years ago.

They have also taken soil samples from inside the crater to the lab, in hopes of finding some answers.

Deborah Byrd

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Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.