Mizarai crater

{{Short description|Asteroid impact crater in Lithuania}}

{{Infobox terrestrial impact site

| name = Mizarai crater

| other_name =

| photo =

| photo_size =

| photo_alt =

| photo_caption =

| map = Lithuania

| map_alt =

| map_caption =

| map_size =

| location =

| label =

| label_position =

| coordinates =

| coordinates_ref =

| confidence = confirmed

| diameter = {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on}}

| depth = {{convert|250|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| rise =

| imp_size =

| age = 500 ± 20 Ma

| exposed =

| drilled =

| bolide =

| translation =

| language =

| pronunciation =

| topo =

| access =

| country = Lithuania

| state =

| province =

| district =

| municipality = Druskininkai municipality

| module =

}}

Mizarai is a meteorite impact crater in Druskininkai municipality, Lithuania. The crater, being the second largest in the country, is not exposed to the surface and the site now hosts Mizarai village. The crater is about {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on}} in diameter and about {{convert|250|m|ft|abbr=on}} in depth. It was created by an asteroid, estimated {{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=on}} in diameter,{{cite journal |first=Vytautas |last=Straižys |url=http://ausis.gf.vu.lt/mg/nr/2002/10/10pa.html |title=Pavojingi asteroidai |journal=Mokslas Ir Gyvenimas |year=2002 |volume=10 |issue=538 |issn=0134-3084 |language=lt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511013029/http://ausis.gf.vu.lt/mg/nr/2002/10/10pa.html |archivedate=2008-05-11 }} 500 ± 20{{cite Earth Impact DB | name = Mizarai| accessdate = 2009-08-19}} or 570 ± 50{{cite journal|url=http://www.univie.ac.at/geochemistry/koeberl/publikation_list/266a-SOM-Snowball%20Earth-Science2005.pdf |title=Estimating duration and intensity of Neoproterozoic snowball glaciations from Ir anomalies |first=Bernd |last=Bodiselitsch |author2=Christian Koeberl |author3=Sharad Master |author4=Wolf U. Reimold | journal=Science |date=8 April 2005 |volume=308 |issue=5719 |pages=239–242 |doi=10.1126/science.1104657|pmid=15821088|bibcode = 2005Sci...308..239B |s2cid=12231751}} million years ago (Cambrian or Neoproterozoic). The asteroid hit basement rock and shattered it up to {{convert|1.3|km|mi|abbr=on}} deep.{{cite journal |first=Larisa |last=Korabliova |author2=Saulius Šliaupa |title=Potencialių žemės laukų tyrimai Lietuvoje |journal=Geologijos akiračiai |year=2006 |issue=4 |pages=14 |url=http://www.lgeos.lt/images/stories/geologijos_akiraciai/2006_4/2006_04_10-17.pdf |language=lt }} It was later buried under various sediments. Mizarai crater was discovered by Gediminas Motuza during an international seismic survey Eurobridge, which reached depths of {{convert|90|-|100|km|mi|abbr=on}}.{{cite journal |url=http://verslas.banga.lt/lt/leidinys.printer/464417c2643a9 |journal=Veidas |date=2007-05-10 |issue=19 |title=Svarbiausi geologo įrankiai – plaktukas ir... galva |first=Kasparas |last=Večerskis |language=lt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307141234/http://verslas.banga.lt/lt/leidinys.printer/464417c2643a9 |archivedate=2008-03-07 }}