The mystery behind Gujarat’s ‘Luna Structure’: Could a giant meteorite have shaped Kutch’s landscape 50,000 years ago?

Scientists have conducted a geochemical analysis of the crater which revealed a notable presence of iridium in the soil. (Representational Image: Pixabay)

Scientists have revealed that a mysterious crater in Gujarat’s Kutch could have formed due to one of the largest meteorites crash on Earth in the last 50,000 years. It is believed that during impact, this meteorite may have generated a colossal fireball, shockwaves, and subsequent wildfires, potentially engulfing the region inhabited by the people of the ancient Indus Valley civilization thousands of years ago.

The crater, known as the Luna Structure is 1.8-kilometer-wide and the locals are quite familiar with it. Scientists have conducted a geochemical analysis of the crater which revealed a notable presence of iridium in the soil. This finding indicates a likely impact from an iron meteorite. However, the researchers maintain that the definitive identification of the Luna structure as a meteor crater remains unproven. To establish this link, they must discover super-heated rocks that melted due to the impact’s energy.

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Gordon Osinski at Western University in Canada told New Scientist, which reported on the study, that if indeed it was a meteor crash, the impact may have been equal to nuclear bomb dropping, but without any radioactive fallout.

Crater’s link to Harappan civilization

According to the study published in the journal Science Direct, the Luna Structure remains submerged and inaccessible for a significant part of the year due to its location in the low-lying Banni Plains of Gujarat‘s Kutch Basin in Western India. The Luna region has long been associated with the ancient Harappan Civilization.

There has been no compelling evidence of impact aside from the mention of stishovite and coesite presence in erratic samples collected from Luna’s vicinity. Although other studies have also hinted at the Luna structure’s impact origin, none have presented convincing evidence. And this is where the investigation into unraveling the mystery behind the Luna structure commenced.

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Examination of the surrounding rocks and soil indicated that the impacting object was likely composed mainly of iron or a combination of iron and rock.