Saarijärvi crater, Impact crater lake in Taivalkoski, Finland
Saarijärvi crater is an impact crater in Taivalkoski containing a lake with a small central island. The formation spans about 1.5 kilometers across and sits in the Northern Ostrobothnia region.
Drilling operations by a mining company in the 1990s revealed deformation features in quartz grains that confirmed the crater's impact origin. This discovery proved that a meteorite struck this location in ancient times.
Researchers study this geological formation to understand the development of impact structures within Finland's Fennoscandian Shield region.
The crater sits in a region with natural terrain and can be reached on foot or by car. Visitors should be prepared for changing weather and bring suitable footwear to explore the area safely.
The structure shows an asymmetrical shape with a deeper southern side, pointing to tectonic changes after the initial impact. This lopsided form makes it a rare example of how ancient meteor strikes can be reshaped by geological forces over time.
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