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Russian scientists named the cause of dark spots on the Chelyabinsk meteorite

Scientists have determined the reason for the darkening of the Chelyabinsk meteorite

Chelyabinsk meteorite darkened due to the impact. This opinion was expressed by material scientists from the Ural Federal University.

Russian scientists named the cause of dark spots on the Chelyabinsk meteorite
Photo: publicly available

At the recently held XV International Moscow Symposium on Solar System Research, scientists told what they were able to learn about the mysterious rock.

Meteorite scattered in the sky of the Chelyabinsk region on February 15, 2013. According to scientists' calculations, before the fall it in size reached about 18-20 meters and weighed about 10 thousand tons. More than fifty fragments were found, the weight of the largest of them is more than 500 kg. It is stored in the Chelyabinsk Museum of Local Lore.

When studying the fragments of the meteorite, it was found that it mixed dark and light rocks. Specialists subjected the samples to the same impact as in space: irradiation, strong heat and shocks. Based on the results, scientists concluded that the darker substances in the meteorite are the same light, only modified. Experts believe that they once darkened due to the impact of the “parent body” of the meteorite on another celestial body. As a consequence, part of the material melted, writes life.ru.

Author: Наталья Чудесатова

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