The impactor, an asteroid or comet about 10 kilometers wide, struck what is now the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico 66 million years ago. The impact created a crater about 180 kilometers wide and triggered a series of events that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
The impact generated a huge amount of heat and pressure, which caused the rock around the crater to melt and vaporize. This material was then ejected into the atmosphere, where it condensed into tiny droplets of glass and dust. These droplets spread around the globe and blocked out the sun, leading to a period of extreme darkness and cooling.
In addition to the material that was ejected into the atmosphere, the impact also created a huge tsunami. This tsunami traveled across the ocean and reached heights of up to 100 meters in some areas. The tsunami caused widespread destruction and loss of life.
The new seismic images provide a more detailed look at the impact and its aftermath. The images show that the tsunami was even larger than previously thought, and that it reached areas that were previously thought to be unaffected. The images also show that the impact caused a large amount of deformation of the Earth's crust.
The new seismic images provide valuable new information about one of the most important events in Earth's history. The images help us to better understand the impact and its consequences, and they provide a glimpse into the dramatic events that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
