Suspected impact crater is center of teen's universe

His discovery launches 3-year research project

By Sharon A. Heilbrunn

EL CAJON – After years of research, an East County teen has perhaps accomplished a first – identifying an ancient meteorite crater in California.
Sam Spevack, a Grossmont Middle College High School senior, found what scientists believe is a possible crater near Stockton that was created by a meteorite hitting the Earth millions of years ago.
Sam, 17, has been working on the project for three years. “It's kind of like a hobby,” he said.
He found the crater when his father, geophysicist Bennett Spevack, was finishing projects near the area.
Sam noticed the feature while looking at seismic data his father was using and decided to investigate further. “I was able to recognize what I thought looked like an impact crater,” Sam said.
The formation – dubbed the Victoria Island Structure and measuring about five kilometers in diameter – is buried about one mile beneath the Earth's surface. Its circular shape is similar to known impact craters.
If Sam's theory is proved – scientists are working on that now – it will be the only known impact crater in California.
In November, Sam was honored as a regional winner in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology, a highly respected event for high school students doing graduate-level work.
To enter, he submitted a 20-page report on the project. At the competition, he delivered a PowerPoint presentation to a panel of judges, his peers and members of the public. Although he didn't win first place, he was one of 30 finalists out of more than 1,000 entries.
“I was slightly nervous,” Sam said. “The competition was really amazing. All the projects were really interesting.”
Jared Morrow, assistant professor of geology at San Diego State University, has mentored Sam as he looks for evidence of the impact.
“Sam is extremely diligent,” Morrow said. “Very hardworking. He's very bright, very well-rounded.”
Sam's interests spill into the musical world. He plays violin, clarinet and piano. He recently sent applications to several universities, including Cornell, University of California San Diego, San Diego State University and UC Santa Barbara's College of Creative Studies.
“I really like musical composition,” he said, noting that he might pursue a career in that field.
Sam has spent nearly 300 hours on the impact crater project, taking little steps each day that involve mapping, lab work, research, writing and reading.
Even though the work can be tedious, it's gratifying for him to remember that if he hadn't made this finding, “the impact would still be unnoticed under the Earth's surface,” Sam said.
He will continue to research physical and geochemical data with Morrow. Eventually, they will present their findings in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, with the hope that it will be accepted by the larger scientific community.
The project is a long-term one, Morrow said, but Sam is being patient – and optimistic.
“Right now, it's a suspected impact,” Sam said. “That's a short step away from being proven.”

Source San Diego Union Tribune
Sharon A. Heilbrunn is a community news assistant in the East County office.
Sharon Heilbrunn: (619) 593-4957; sharon.heilbrunn@uniontrib.com