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Other literature type . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Data Paper . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Data Paper . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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A Tunguska sized airburst destroyed Tall el-Hammam a Middle Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea (expanded), SI

Authors: LeCompte, Malcolm; West, Allen;

A Tunguska sized airburst destroyed Tall el-Hammam a Middle Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea (expanded), SI

Abstract

We present evidence that Tall el-Hammam, a fortified Middle Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley was destroyed by an extraordinary high-energy event in approximately 1650 BCE. Excavations reveal that more than 12 m of a palace complex and a massive mudbrick rampart were leveled, and widespread fatalities occurred, with all skeletal remains displaying significant disarticulation. The entire city is capped by a ∼1.5 m-thick charcoal-and-ash-rich destruction layer containing shock-metamorphic and high-temperature materials. This stratum yields abundant shocked quartz, vesicular melted pottery and mudbrick, diamond-like carbon, soot, Fe- and Si-rich microspherules, and CaCO₃ spherules derived from melted plaster. SEM/TEM imaging with EDS and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) identified planar deformation features and high-pressure mineral phases diagnostic of shock metamorphism. Metallic micro-droplets of platinum, iridium, nickel, gold, silver, zircon, chromite, and quartz imply transient exposure to temperatures exceeding 2000°C.

Related Organizations
Keywords

airbursts, asteroids, microspherules, shocked quartz, hydrocode modeling, comets, meltglass, remanent magnetism

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Green