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University of Rome to host Kamil crater seminar
23 September 2010 — 23 September 2010
European Space Agency (ESA)
The seminar Kamil: A Lunar Crater on Earth will be presented today at the University of Rome in conjunction with the European Planetary Science Congress 2010. Members of the media and public are welcome to attend (event in English and Italian).
Kamil crater, located in southwestern Egypt, was discovered in 2008 using Google Earth satellite imagery. With a diameter of 45m, it is one of only 15 impact craters on Earth under 300m in size. Due to the desert climate conditions, it is the best preserved such crater, and offers a unique opportunity for scientists to study terrestrial impact events.
In 2009, in collaboration with Telespazio, e-Geos and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the crater region was thoroughly analysed using satellite data and high-resolution radar images provided by Italy's COSMO-SkyMed satellite constellation. This work was supported by ESA's Space Situational Awareness (SSA) programme.
The seminar will report on the discovery of Kamil meteorite crater and include details on this year's expedition to collect impact fragments. ESA's Dr Detlef Koschny, Head of Near Earth Object activities for SSA, will make a presentation during the seminar.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/SSA/SEM3IOMO7EG_0.html