Scientists have unveiled the Nadir crater, a 5-mile wide undersea structure off the coast of West Africa, believed to have been formed by an asteroid impact that coincided with the extinction of the dinosaurs. This discovery, initially made through seismic data analysis in 2022, has recently been brought to life through stunning 3D imaging, revealing the hidden asteroid crater beneath the Atlantic Ocean floor. In a separate development, a massive crater under the North Sea has been confirmed as the result of an asteroid impact, further expanding our understanding of submerged geological features.
Discovery of the Nadir Crater
The Nadir crater was first identified through seismic imaging techniques, which detected disrupted sediment layers beneath the ocean floor off West Africa. This 5-mile wide undersea structure was later verified to have been formed during the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event around 66 million years ago, aligning with the timeline when dinosaurs disappeared. However, confirming the impact origin of the crater posed significant challenges due to its depth of approximately 8,000 feet below the Atlantic seafloor and its location over 300 miles from the African coast.
Dimensions and Geological Features
The Nadir crater measures exactly 5 miles in diameter and up to 1,300 feet deep, featuring a raised rim and central uplift typical of asteroid impact sites. Within the crater, scientists found evidence of shocked quartz and melt rock, hallmarks of a high-velocity extraterrestrial collision. Surrounding the crater were tektites and iridium-rich layers in nearby sediments, consistent with global debris from the same era as the Chicxulub impact.
Link to Dinosaur Extinction
The age of the Nadir crater, approximately 66 million years old, positions it as a potential secondary impact contributing to the mass extinction that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs. Modeling suggests the asteroid was about 400 meters wide, generating tsunamis and atmospheric effects that could have exacerbated environmental catastrophe worldwide. This discovery draws comparisons to the primary Chicxulub crater in Mexico, indicating that multiple strikes may have intensified the event leading to 75% of Earth’s species vanishing.
Recent 3D Revelations Under the Atlantic
Advanced 3D seismic surveys conducted in 2025 produced detailed visualizations of the 5-mile wide asteroid crater’s structure hidden beneath the Atlantic Ocean floor. These images provided enhanced clarity on the crater’s preservation state, showing minimal erosion due to rapid post-impact sediment burial in the deep ocean environment. This discovery has significant implications for refining models of ancient ocean currents and understanding how the impact influenced Atlantic basin evolution over millions of years.
Another Submerged Impact: The North Sea Crater
In 2025, scientists confirmed that a huge crater under the North Sea, spanning several kilometers, was formed by an asteroid impact during the Eocene epoch around 55 million years ago. Geophysical data revealed the crater’s depth of over 1 kilometer and its role in local seismic activity and oil reservoir formations. This site, while predating the dinosaur era, shares similarities with the Nadir crater in terms of submerged preservation and asteroid origin.
Scientific and Exploratory Methods
Scientists used multi-channel seismic reflection profiling to map the Nadir crater’s boundaries and internal features without physical drilling. They also integrated gravity and magnetic anomaly data to distinguish impact signatures from volcanic or tectonic formations in oceanic settings. Ongoing international collaborations, including expeditions by geophysicists from the University of Liverpool and Namibia’s Geological Survey, are underway to collect core samples for further analysis.
Broader Implications for Earth History
The discovery of the Nadir and North Sea craters could lead to a revision of impact hazard assessments, demonstrating how even mid-sized asteroids can leave lasting geological scars undetected for eons. These findings also provide insights into paleoceanography, showing how these craters influenced sediment distribution and marine life recovery post-extinction. Future research directions include targeted drilling missions to extract direct evidence from the 5-mile wide sites and model the combined effects of multiple impacts on climate.
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