About the study:
- The study was carried out by K.R. Subrahmanya, a former professor of Marine Geology, Mangalore University, and K.N. Prakash Narasimha, Professor of the Department of Earth Science, University of Mysore.
- Their findings were published in the Journal of the Geological Society of India and the study won the Radhakrishna Prize 2018 for best paper.
- The study was funded by the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Key findings of the paper:
- Asteroid hit:
- Unlike the impact event that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago, this asteroid hit may have taken place 800 million to 550 million years ago, when there were very primitive life forms.
- The extra-terrestrial object was at probably 5 km in diameter. This impact created Kaveri Crater.
- Location:
- Kaveri Crater is between Nilgiris and Kodaikanal.
- Both the Palghat Gap and Dhimbam Ghats are a part of the Kaveri Crater, with the geological evidence stretching up to Belakavadi and Shivanasamudra in Karnataka.
- Size:
- The area ‘Kaveri Crater’, is possibly the fourth largest in the world.
- The crater has a diameter of 120 km. Unlike smaller craters, Kaveri Crater can be visualised only through satellite images.
