Rings of Earth

{{Short description|Proposed rings of Earth that existed 446 million years ago}}

File:Mollweide Paleographic Map of Earth, 465 Ma (Darriwilian Age).png

The rings of Earth are a proposed set of planetary rings that may have at one point been present around Earth during the Ordovician period. These rings may have formed during the Ordovician impact spike approximately 466 million years ago.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-24 |title=Did Earth once have rings like Saturn? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/c93y4q1z0q1o#:~:text=Scientists%20have%20found%20evidence%20which,collision%20with%20a%20large%20asteroid. |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=BBC Newsround |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=September 20, 2024 |title=Earth Had a Ring 466 Million Years Ago, Study Says |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/20/science/earth-rings-asteroids-ordovician.html |access-date=September 25, 2024 |website=New York Times}}{{Cite magazine |last=Kluger |first=Jeffrey |date=2024-09-18 |title=Earth May Have Had a Ring Like Saturn Once |url=https://time.com/7022440/earth-ring-like-saturn-study/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |magazine=TIME |language=en}} They were first formally proposed by a team of scientists working with the Monash University in September 2024, and have been a subject of interest for several years prior to the study.

Background

{{Further|Paleozoic Era}}The Ordovician Period was the geologic period and system that the Earth was in when the rings are believed to have formed. The Ordovician spanned from {{Period end|Cambrian}} million years ago to {{Period start|Silurian}} million years ago. During this period, an event known as the Ordovician meteor event occurred, when a high level of L chondrite meteorites hit Earth. The meteorites may have been caused by a large parent body that was {{Convert|93|mi|km}} in diameter.{{Cite web |last=Schmitz |first=Birger |date=2019-10-22 |title=Gigantic asteroid collision in the Ordovician period boosted biodiversity on Earth |url=https://communities.springernature.com/posts/gigantic-asteroid-collision-in-the-ordovician-period-boosted-biodiversity-on-earth |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=Research Communities by Springer Nature |language=en}}

History

= Formation =

The parent body that produced the L chondrite meteorites is believed to have passed Earth's Roche limit, leading to the body being torn apart and its debris being scattered around, which eventually led to the formation of a debris ring.{{Cite web |title=Study: Earth had planetary rings like Saturn 466 million years ago |url=https://www.earth.com/news/study-earth-had-planetary-rings-like-saturn-466-million-years-ago/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Earth.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-18 |title=Earth Had Ring System 466 Million Years Ago, New Research Suggests |url=https://www.sci.news/space/ordovician-earth-ring-system-13270.html |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Sci.News |language=en-US}}

= Post-formation =

The rings are believed to have been present approximately 466 million years ago.{{Cite web |last=Bressan |first=David |date=2024-09-23 |title=Study Suggests Earth May Once Had A Ring System |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidbressan/2024/09/23/earth-may-once-have-had-a-ring-system/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-24 |title=It Turns Out Earth May Have Once Had a Ring |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/a62284228/earth-ring-like-saturn/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Popular Mechanics |language=en-US}} The Hirnantian glaciation may be a direct result of the rings shielding light from reaching the Earth, and the rings may have existed for up to 40 million years.{{cite journal |last1=Tomkins |first1=Andrew G. |last2=Martin |first2=Erin L. |last3=Cawood |first3=Peter A. |title=Evidence suggesting that earth had a ring in the Ordovician |journal=Earth and Planetary Science Letters |date=November 2024 |volume=646 |pages=118991 |doi=10.1016/j.epsl.2024.118991 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2024E&PSL.64618991T }}

Studies

= 2024 study =

The ring was first formally proposed after 21 impact craters from the meteor event were found to be located along a straight band around the Earth's equator.{{cite journal |last1=Tomkins |first1=Andrew G. |last2=Martin |first2=Erin L. |last3=Cawood |first3=Peter A. |title=Evidence suggesting that earth had a ring in the Ordovician |journal=Earth and Planetary Science Letters |date=November 2024 |volume=646 |pages=118991 |doi=10.1016/j.epsl.2024.118991 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2024E&PSL.64618991T }}{{Cite web |title=Earth May Have Once Had a Saturn-Like Ring, New Study Says |url=https://www.cnet.com/science/earth-may-have-once-had-a-saturn-like-ring-new-study-says/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=CNET |language=en}} Andrew G. Tomkins, Erin L. Martin and Peter A. Cawood, working with Monash University, released a study in September 2024 that gave evidence on the existence of the rings.

The study noted that all 21 craters produced as a result of the meteor event fell within an equatorial band range of ≤30°, despite the fact that ~70% of the Earth has a crust suitable for the preservation of craters. The study also noted that the chances of all 21 craters falling within the 30° range was one in 25 million, and would be highly unlikely unless the craters were caused by a dissolved ring system.

See also

References