Finding Impact Craters with Landsat
(Complete Item Description)
- Abstract:
Earth and all the other planets and moons of our Solar System have been continuously pelted by asteroids and comets ever since their formation. On Earth, wind and water have eroded away most of the evidence; various other geologic processes have concealed it; oceans and vegetation now cover much of the rest. This activity will help your students understand how NASA scientists are discovering evidence of impact craters through satellite images and technology, which enables us to see landforms that we can't see with our eyes alone. Students consider the sudden release of a tremendous amount of kinetic energy when an extraterrestrial object strikes the Earth. They write about the effects that such a collision might have on the land, atmosphere, water, and living things. Students then read descriptions of the actual effects of impact events and the evidence these leave behind. In small groups, they study satellite images that show possible evidence of impact events. They select one or two of these images to interpret for the class. In their interpretations, they explain how the image does or does not show evidence of an impact event. To demonstrate their understanding of the role of impact events in shaping the Earth, students write a series of guidance questions for a field expedition to determine whether or not a given landform is an impact crater.
- Subject:
- Science and Technology
- Grade Level:
- Primary, Secondary
- Collection:
- NASA