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Is Lake Cheko a crater made by a fragment in 1908?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of Why have no fragments of the body been found?·3 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: the lake is an older thermokarst or river-plain lake unrelated to the eventAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. The lake is an older thermokarst or river-plain lake unrelated to the event. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible.

Why it matters

If it is, a fragment survived and lies at the bottom of the lake; the question has been argued since 2007 with geophysics, sediment dating and tree rings⁠[1]⁠[2]⁠[3].

Answers 3

Evidence: 1 for
Most likely
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible
Evidence: 3 for, 3 against
Disputed

History

  1. Gasperini et al. puts forward: the lake fills a small crater excavated in soft, permafrost ground by a fragment of the body.
  2. Gasperini et al.: acoustic imaging shows a funnel-shaped floor and deposits the authors read as crater fill.For: The lake fills a small crater excavated in soft, permafrost ground by a fragment of the body.
  3. Collins et al. puts forward: the lake is an older thermokarst or river-plain lake unrelated to the event.
  4. Collins et al.: the lake lacks crater morphology and impactor material and has mature trees close by.Against: The lake fills a small crater excavated in soft, permafrost ground by a fragment of the body.
  5. Fantucci et al.: trees near the lake that germinated after 1908 grew differently from forest trees, consistent with a new lake.For: The lake fills a small crater excavated in soft, permafrost ground by a fragment of the body.
  6. Rogozin et al.: 137Cs, 210Pb and varves show the lake is much older than 1908.Against: The lake fills a small crater excavated in soft, permafrost ground by a fragment of the body.
  7. Rogozin et al.: sediment dating shows the lake predates 1908.For: The lake is an older thermokarst or river-plain lake unrelated to the event.
  8. Foschini et al.: a rubble-pile body could have shed a boulder that made the lake.For: The lake fills a small crater excavated in soft, permafrost ground by a fragment of the body.
  9. Carbognani et al.: the lake lies about 3.5 km outside the 3-sigma strewn field for the most likely trajectory.Against: The lake fills a small crater excavated in soft, permafrost ground by a fragment of the body.
  10. Asked on this site
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