[meteorite-list] Greatly impacted lakes

From: Paul Dudley <pdudley_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:44:13 2004
Message-ID: <001801c0f85f$1c8602a0$248569d1_at_pdudley.eznet.net>

>How about a brief thread noting any thoughts on the Great Lakes being
>ORIGINALLY created by meteorite impact (s) rather than glaciation? I am
>just a giant sucking sound of curiosity. I am curious about direction,

I think that it is very unlikely that the Great Lakes have an impact origin.
There is nothing in the overall morphology or structure that would indicate
impact origin. The rock structure is completely compatible with glaciation
being responsible.

>angle of impact (s), and the suspected size and type of meteorite.
>List response or private responses welcomed. Or, others can offer a
>thought.
>Are there any other large lakes in North America suspected of being
>formed by impacts, such as the Finger Lakes of New York State, Great


Same too for the Finger Lakes. However, I should note that in the 1950s,
the Rochester, NY newspaper published a theory by a local physicist (I
think) who speculated that the Finger Lakes were the result of radial cracks
formed by a meteorite impact in Lake Ontario to the north. As I recall,
the fact the deepest spot of Lake Ontario is roughly where the axes of the
Finger Lakes would intersect if extended to the north was the basis for his
suggestion. As far as I know, there is no geological evidence to support
this theory. There is no crater nor central uplift.

I have also heard that some have suggested that Chautaugua Lake
(south-western corner of NY State) may be of impact origin. I am not sure
what the reasoning behind this speculation is.

--Paul
Received on Mon 18 Jun 2001 09:28:13 PM PDT