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Muscat Daily
17-05-2025
- Science
- Muscat Daily
Crater on cliff: Rare meteorite impact site found in Dhofar
Muscat – A newly identified meteorite crater in Dhofar mountains is being hailed as a rare geological discovery and the first of its kind to be found on a slope anywhere in the world. Spotted by researchers from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the 259m-wide impact crater lies near the edge of a cliff close to Jardoom, about 20km northwest of Salalah. Unlike typical circular craters formed on flat ground, this one has a crescent-shaped structure due to the sloped terrain where the meteorite struck. 'It is the first impact crater to be found on a slope anywhere in the world, making it one of its kind,' Giribabu Dandabathula, lead researcher and scientist at ISRO told Muscat Daily . 'We have been searching for such craters for the past 12 years, focusing on mountainous areas. Luckily, we have found one in the Dhofar mountains.' The structure, preserved remarkably well, was confirmed using satellite images and laser beam elevation data from NASA's ICESat-2 satellite. The researchers involved in the study, published in Earth and Planetary Science , compared the structure to a similar crater on Mars owing to the absence of a comparative crater on Earth. 'The reason for the rarity of impact craters on slopes is that structures on slopes are easily eroded, potentially leading to altered or less recognisable crater shapes, especially on Earth, due to weathering and runoff. We needed details of another impact crater on slopes that could enable us to compare it with the one in Dhofar. We compared the Martian crater with the one found on Dhofar, and interestingly, both craters have many similarities.' Confirming the Dhofar crater to be created by a meteorite impact, Dandabathula said, 'The shape and features – like a raised rim and a depression with the deepest point shifted downhill – strongly indicate an impact.' Speaking about other craters, Dandabathula noted that while the Mahout structure in central Oman has been proposed as an impact site, its origins remain unconfirmed. In contrast, the Dhofar region is already known for a rich collection of meteorites. 'This crater, if confirmed through field studies, would be a significant addition to that record.' Though more studies are needed, the discovery adds to Oman's scientific significance and could draw further research interest to the region. 'This site is not only accessible from Salalah but also offers a testbed for global geologists,' Dandabathula said. 'It's an opportunity to turn remote sensing into real-world exploration.'
India Today
12-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
Biggest solar storm heated Earth's atmosphere, generated largest electrical current
One year after the most severe geomagnetic storm in two decades struck Earth, NASA scientists continue to unravel its big the Gannon storm in honour of space weather physicist Jennifer Gannon, the May 10, 2024, event began as a training exercise for US agencies-a simulation that abruptly became real.'Our hypothetical scenario was interrupted by a very real one,' said Jamie Favors, director of NASA's Space Weather Ground and Air DisruptionsThe storm triggered cascading effects on Earth's the US Midwest, GPS-guided tractors veered off-course, compounding planting delays from heavy spring affected lost an average of $17,000 each. Trans-Atlantic flights rerouted to avoid radiation spikes and navigation failures, while power grids faced transformer overheating and tripped high-voltage UpheavalThe thermosphere, Earth's upper atmospheric layer, heated to a record 1,150C, causing it to expand and loft heavy nitrogen particles higher. NASA's GOLD mission captured this expansion, which increased satellite drag. ICESat-2 entered safe mode, and the CIRBE CubeSat deorbited prematurely. The ionosphere-a critical layer for radio communications-warped into a checkmark shape, creating a temporary equatorial and Radiation BeltsThe storm generated the largest electrical currents in Earth's magnetosphere in 20 years, observed by NASA's MMS and THEMIS-ARTEMIS waves along coronal mass ejections (CMEs) dumped energy into the magnetosphere, while two new temporary radiation belts formed between the Van Allen belts-a discovery critical for astronaut and spacecraft Auroras and Scientific InsightsAuroras lit skies worldwide, with NASA's Aurorasaurus project logging 6,000 reports from 55 Japan, magenta hues puzzled scientists until imaging revealed the lights originated 600 miles high-200 miles above typical red auroras-due to nitrogen and oxygen mixing in the storm-heated atmosphere. Though the Gannon storm caused no catastrophes, it shows vulnerabilities in satellite operations, agriculture, and aviation.'These findings are helping us prepare for the next big storm,' Favors noted. With solar activity peaking in 2025, NASA's data will refine predictive models, ensuring safer navigation through the Sun's Watch
Observer
24-04-2025
- Science
- Observer
Scientists discover Earth's rarest impact crater in Oman's Dhofar Mountains
In a scientific breakthrough that could reshape our understanding of planetary impacts on Earth, a team of researchers from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has identified a rare meteorite impact crater nestled within the rugged slopes of the Dhofar Mountains in southern Oman. This discovery is significant not only for its rarity but also for what it reveals about how celestial bodies interact with Earth's topography. Unlike the majority of known impact craters—which tend to form on flat plains—this newly identified structure was formed on a sloped surface. Measuring approximately 259 metres in diameter, the crater stands out in the global geological record as the first verified impact site discovered on inclined terrain. The location, near the hamlet of Jardoom and accessible from the city of Salalah, adds yet another scientific gem to Oman's already meteorite-rich Dhofar region. The discovery was made using an array of advanced technologies including high-resolution satellite imagery, digital elevation models, and data from NASA's ICESat-2 satellite, which uses laser altimetry to measure the Earth's surface. These tools enabled the ISRO team, led by Dr Dandabathula Giribabu, to precisely map and analyze the crater's structure, revealing a raised rim and an unusual crescent-shaped basin. Comparative analysis with similar craters on Mars—conducted using imagery from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter—highlighted striking similarities in crater morphology, especially in cases where impacts occurred on slopes. The researchers noted that the crater's ellipticity and depth-to-diameter ratio were consistent with theoretical models of oblique meteorite impacts on inclined surfaces. What makes this site even more compelling is the geomorphological evidence supporting its classification as an impact crater. Mathematical simulations conducted in previous studies have shown that impacts on slopes tend to shift the deepest point of the crater downhill. The Dhofar crater conforms exactly to this pattern. In addition, a tongue-shaped landslide extending from the basin's lower edge adds further proof that this was not formed by erosion or other terrestrial processes, but by a powerful extraterrestrial collision. Another remarkable feature of the site is the exposure of folded rock layers along a steep slope just below the crater. These folds provide a rare opportunity for geologists to study how the force of a meteorite impact affects subsurface geological structures. This unique combination of surface and subsurface clues makes the crater a valuable natural laboratory for planetary scientists and geologists alike. The Dhofar region has long been a hotspot for meteorite discoveries, with fragments of extraterrestrial material frequently found scattered across its desert landscape. However, this newly uncovered crater elevates the region's scientific importance to a new level. It is expected not only to attract researchers from around the world but also to boost geotourism in Oman, inviting visitors to explore the dramatic landscapes and cosmic history of the country's southern highlands. With its precise coordinates fixed at 17°04'02.8"N, 53°55'06.8"E, the Dhofar impact crater may soon become a must-visit destination for both scientists and adventure seekers looking to trace the marks of the universe on Earth's surface. The research was published in the peer-reviewed international journal, namely, Earth and Planetary Science, an esteemed journal of Nan Yang Academy of Sciences, Singapore ( and has gained excellent traction in the scientific community within a shorter time since its publication.
South China Morning Post
19-02-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
South China Sea: Beijing ministry gauges depth of new Vietnamese port on reef
The research combines laser measurements from Nasa's ICESat-2 satellite with optical data from the European Union's Sentinel-2 to map underwater changes with unprecedented precision. The team's peer-reviewed paper was published in the Chinese-language Journal of Tropical Oceanography on February 13. Barque Canada Reef is the largest landform in the Spratly Islands, an archipelago in the South China Sea that is claimed by several nations and is known in China as the Nansha Islands. According to the paper, the research revealed that Vietnam had dredged a 299-metre (980-foot) wide channel reaching an average depth of 11.37 metres leading into the strategic harbour at the western tip of Barque Canada Reef, which is known in China as Bai Jiao. The channel is deep enough to accommodate some of the world's largest warships, such as China's largest Type 055 destroyers that have a 6.6-metre draught, according to openly available information. From 2022 to 2024, reclaimed land at the reef expanded tenfold to 1.94 sq km (0.75 square miles), placing concrete over coral flats, according to the study. 'These data [are] conclusive proof that Vietnam's land-reclamation projects, coupled with the excavation of navigation channels and harbour construction, have profoundly reshaped Bai Jiao Reef's topography, triggering drastic geomorphological alterations across the island complex,' wrote study co-author Fu Dongyang, of Guangdong Ocean University.
