Phenomenon that occurred about 300 million years ago deformed rocks of the ParnaĆba Sedimentary Basin and gave rise to the Serra da Cangalha.
A large-scale geological event permanently transformed the landscape where the municipality of Campos Lindos is located today, in the north of Tocantins.
Approximately 300 million years ago, a meteorite estimated at 20 thousand tons released a huge amount of energy over the region.
The celestial body is believed to have disintegrated before fully reaching the ground, but the force caused by the phenomenon deformed the local rocks.
-
A 20,000-ton meteorite changed the landscape of Tocantins and created a 13.7-kilometer crater that can still be seen from space.
-
The USA tried to keep daylight saving time year-round to save oil, but children going to school in the dark, confusion in flights, and fear in the streets caused popular support to plummet within a few weeks.
-
Stone with impossible date, arrow shot before death, and radar failing to find a body: the supposed tomb of Robin Hood in England that has challenged historians for centuries
-
Goodbye to the dream of becoming a boss? Understand why Generation Z and millennials are turning down leadership positions, higher salaries, and promotions to preserve balance, flexibility, purpose, mental health, and a less pressured professional routine.
This alteration gave rise to the Serra da Cangalha, one of the largest known impact craters in Brazilian territory.
The structure has a 13.7-kilometer diameter, elevations over 400 meters, and concentric rings still visible in satellite images.
Explosion deformed rocks in the north of Tocantins
Geologist Fernando de Morais, a professor at the Federal University of Tocantins, explained that the meteorite disintegrated before touching the ground.
Even fragmented, the object released enough energy to modify the rocks that form the ParnaĆba Sedimentary Basin.
The rings found in the relief reveal the magnitude of the force involved in this ancient geological phenomenon.
These marks can be compared to the waves formed when a stone falls on the surface of the water.
The energy spread from the central point and created successive circles, which remained recorded in the landscape.
Structure was discovered during national project
The Serra da Cangalha began to be studied in the 1970s, during the Radam Brazil Project.
Researchers initially classified the formation only as a geological dome.
Subsequent analyses identified deformations in the rocks compatible with a structure associated with the impact of a meteorite.
The site then came to be recognized as an important Brazilian geological monument.
The National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage evaluated, in 2012, the possibility of officially protecting the area.
The proposal considered transforming the Serra da Cangalha into a national heritage or cultural landscape.
The process analyzed by Iphan, however, was not completed.
Concentric rings can be seen from space
The size of the crater can be observed more clearly through aerial images and satellite records.
The 13.7 kilometers in length form a circular design marked by different concentric rings.
The structure also features mountains over 400 meters high around the central region.
This set makes the Serra da Cangalha a unique formation within the national territory.
The landscape remains preserved by nature, according to the mayor of Campos Lindos, Romeu Kalugin.
Trails, waterfalls, and cave surround the crater
The scientific importance of Serra da Cangalha has also sparked interest in tourism in the region.
Visitors can walk trails of approximately three kilometers through the rings formed in the relief.
Waterfalls located within the structure enhance the natural attractions found in the area.
The newly discovered Meteor Cave has also become part of the monument’s points of interest.
Paramotor flights allow observing from above the size of the crater and the distribution of the concentric rings.
The administration of Campos Lindos works with landowners to facilitate access and encourage tourism projects.
Name originated from the residents’ tradition
The name Serra da Cangalha arose from the appearance of the formation seen laterally.
Residents noticed that the relief resembled a cangalha, a type of saddle traditionally used on pack animals.
The name does not have a scientific origin but was adopted by the local population over time.
The name remains associated with the gigantic geological structure created in northern Tocantins hundreds of millions of years ago.
Would you have the courage to walk the trails and see up close a crater formed by a meteorite? Leave your opinion!
