Figure 1.

Image of the down-range trajectory of the vapor plume produced by an oblique impact (15° from horizontal) of a 5.2 km/s projectile into powered dolomite (Ca and Mg carbonate similar to the sedimentary rocks at Chicxulub). The point of impact is marked by the triangle at lower right. Frame shown (4) is approximately 100 μs after impact. Illumination is solely from hot, glowing vapors. Note the down-range ballistic component of the hot vapors (black arrows), which for Chicxulub would have focused destruction on North America. Experiment conducted by Peter Schultz with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Vertical Gun. Photographs courtesy of P. Schultz, frame 4 from figure 4, ref. 5.