Overview

• The peer-reviewed study in Earth and Planetary Science Letters establishes a chemically distinct strewn field separate from the Australasian tektites.
• The proposed ananguite field spans roughly 900 km and has so far been found only in areas mainly within South Australia.
• Conclusions come from imaging, trace-element measurements, and Sr–Nd isotope analyses of six australites held by the South Australian Museum.
• The impact’s source crater remains undiscovered, with isotopic matches indicating likely origins in the Luzon, Sulawesi, or Bismarck volcanic arcs.
• Researchers say the find adds a previously unrecognized large impact to Earth’s record and helps refine estimates of impact frequency relevant to planetary defense.