Facts

Facts

The meteoritic origin of the Kaali crater was proved in 1937 when the first fragments of iron meteorite with 8.3% nickel content were gathered. The scientists assert that the meteorite with the initial mass 400-10.000 tons, entered the atmosphere from the Northeast plhvatusjoonis direction with the initial velocity 15-45 km/s, at impact its velocity was 10-20 km/s and mass 20-80 tons. At the altitude of 5-10 km the meteorite broke into pieces and fell to the Earth in fragments, the greatest of which produced a crater with a diameter of 110 m, 22 m deep, and 8 smaller ones with diameters 12 to 40 m, depths varying from 1 to 4 m. Some craters have probably not been discovered yet.


	The approximate date of the falling of the Kaali meteorite – 7500-7600 years BP – is determined by the content of soil and rock particles, thrown up by the giant explosion, in the sediments in the lakes and mires of neighbourhood. In the explosion the meteorite was mostly pulverized and up to now only particles of meteoritic iron, weighing 0.5-28 g, have been found from the secondary craters.


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