Nature Communications (Jan 2020)

Precise radiometric age establishes Yarrabubba, Western Australia, as Earth’s oldest recognised meteorite impact structure

  • Timmons M. Erickson,
  • Christopher L. Kirkland,
  • Nicholas E. Timms,
  • Aaron J. Cavosie,
  • Thomas M. Davison

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13985-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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The ~70 km-diameter Yarrabubba impact structure in Western Australia has previously been regarded as among Earth’s oldest meteorite craters, but has hitherto lacked absolute age constraints. Here, the authors determine a precise impact age of 2229 ± 5 Ma, which extends the terrestrial cratering record back in time by > 200 million years and establishes Yarrabubba as the oldest recognised meteorite impact structure on Earth.