Ball of fire: Local police officers stand next to a crater apparently made by a meteorite on 16 September in Puno, high in the Andes of southern Peru. Around midday, villagers were startled by an explosion that many were convinced was an aircraft crashing near their remote village.
Credit: AFP
SYDNEY: Scientists are perplexed by a meteorite strike in Peru near Lake Titicaca that has left a 20-metre-wide crater and is reported to have produced fumes that made up to 200 people sick.
News agencies have reported that scores of locals in the farming village of Carancas began vomiting and complaining of headaches and dizziness after the rock crashed to Earth on Saturday creating an eight-meter-deep crater.
Local residents said they heard an explosion and felt the ground shake as the meteorite impacted with the ground. Pictures showed a muddy pool of water inside the crater.
Extreme health effects
Police officers who went to crater were given oxygen and taken to hospital after suffering from similar symptoms. A local scientist said that fumes from the crater are so strong that he felt irritation in his nose and throat even though he was wearing a mask.
A local health ministry official, Jorge Lopez, said none of the patients were seriously ill, but that they would have to undergo blood and neurological tests as a precaution. A medical facility was installed in Carancas to treat the patients, and "if necessary, some will be sent to hospitals in Puno," the nearest big city, he said.
Peruvian Nuclear Energy Institute engineer Renan Ramirez said a team of scientists found no radiation at the crash site and confirmed that a fallen satellite did not create the crater. Ramirez speculated that sulphur, arsenic or other toxins that melted in the extreme heat produced by the meteorite strike might have caused the illnesses that struck the local population.
"What an amazing story ... I've never heard of any such extreme health effects associated with a meteorite fall before," said geoscientist Ross Pogson, manager of the mineralogy collection at the Australian Museum in Sydney. It's unlikely that any noxious gases have come from the meteorite itself, he said, "[But] it's possible that gases could have been released due to effects of heat and pressure on disrupted rocks under the crater."
Noxious contenders
Pogson said he could only speculate on the nature of these gases, but possible contenders include sulphur, sulphur dioxide, chlorine, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
According to meteorite experts, this appears to be a unique event. No other meteorites have been recorded releasing toxic gases. "Getting hit on the head by one wouldn't be good, but I've never heard of any adverse health effects related to gases released by meteorites before," said Alex Bevan Australia's top expert on meteorites at the Western Australian Museum in Perth.
"There's something not quite right about this," he added, arguing that it's even a possibility that the sighting of the fireball in the sky and the subsequent ground tremor and explosion that created the crater are unrelated events.
Bevan said he is waiting for more detailed reports from Peruvian scientists – due to be released later this week – and images of any fragments of the meteorite before he attempts to make a more comprehensive assessment.
with Agençe France-Presse
Up to 200 made ill by 'fumes' from meteor
Soon, aliens the size of nanobots, propelled by their own mysterious gasses, will crawl out from the muddy hole to search for food. It's the end of the world.
Rebecca Fransway
volatiles in meteorites
The scientists are so lame on this. My older brother was in Arkansas 22 years ago when a meteorite passed low overhead and left the valley full of sulfurous fumes for over 45 minutes afterward. When a major component of carbonacious condrites has a significant percentage of poisonous ingredients and volatize off on impact, gee, seems perfectly logical to me. But don't believe the people on site for heavens sake. Paul
Carbon monoxide fumes made 200 ill from meteor.
Carbon monoxide fumes made 200 ill from meteor.
By
Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi
It is a unique event. No other incident like this has been reported earlier. Seeing the symptoms of vomiting and headaches, effect of meteorite impact on the place cannot be ruled out. Probable factors may be release of the poisonous gases either from the meteorites or from the surface of the place after the impact.
Meteorites contain Hydrogen, Carbon, Methane, Helium, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulfur, Chlorine etc.
Symptoms very much resembles with carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or chlorine poisoning.
Every body knows that carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas, which cannot be perceived by the senses. It is formed by incomplete combustion of carbon and organic matter. Meteorites contain both carbon and organic compounds.
After reaching the earth carbon monoxide might have been released from the meteorite due to incomplete combustion. Other probability is that the affected area may contain some organic matter beneath the topsoil. After the impact carbon monoxide gas was released from the soil due to the reaction of burning of meteorite with organic matter present.
Other causes may be chlorine or carbon dioxide gas.
If it is true then these phenomenon must have played a major role in extinction of dinosaurs from the planet.
Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi
Geologist
Ranchi, India.
Email: rch_nitishp@sancharnet.in
Up to 200 made ill by 'fumes' from meteor
Someone has a short memory, Mr Pogson! Unique? I don't think so. Look up reports of smells of "methylated spirits" etc following the Murchison meteorite event.
Evan Holt
evanholt@austarnet.com.au