Ku Gandliwa ka Vredefort

© David Fleminger

Bolide Yikulu Swinene

2 billion wa malembe lawa yanga hundza, akungari na swimila eka planet, naswona xikombiso xin’we ntsena ya vutomi lexi axiri kona akuri ti bacteria. Kambe, loko swahatetano, swilo aswiri ekusuhi no onheka. Bolide leyikulu swinene yitisiwile emisaveni kuta tshikelela misava leswi aswi endla leswaku yiya etshakwini ra misava. Loko ti bacteria atiri na milenge, atitava titsutsumile kunene!
Ahiswitivi leswaku bolide leyi akuri ribye ke kumbe comet. Kumbe ayi famba hi xipidi xotani hikwihi, kambe ku ehleketeleriwa leswaku ayi famba hi xipidi lexi axi hundza 20 wa tikilomitara hi sekondi. Kuya hi xirhengele lexi siyiweke, swahatetano, ku ehleketeleriwa leswaku sayizi ya xona ayiri exikarhi ka 5 na 15 wa tikilomitarass, kuya hileswi xipidi xinga hlayerisiwa xiswona, ntiko, naku mbombomela ka xona xikan’we na ndlela leyi xinga tlumba hi yona. Leswi swiendla leswaku kutshembiwa leswaku axi kule ku hundza na Table Mountain!

Yi be Swinene!

Loko bolide yitshunela ekusuhi, misava yi boheke kutiyimisela, kutani yi chayisiwa. Hi matimba lawakulu swinene! Laha yinga chayisiwa hikona akuri ekusuhi swinene na laha namuntlha hinge hile a dorobeni ra Vredefort, kwalomu ka 120 watikilomitara e dzongeni vupela dyambu bya Johannesburg, naswona mihandzu ya kona yinyike nhlamuselo yintshwa ya rito ‘catastrophic’.
Loko yi ba, matimba lawa ayari kona lawa yanga humesiwa aya ringana na 100 million megatons yati dynamite – leswivulaka 100 trillion tons ta matimba ya swibuluki. Loko swipimanyisiwa, akuri bomb ya matimba lawa yakulu swinene ya nuclear leyingata na matimba ya 50 megatons. Hitiminete tintsongo swinene, nhlayo leyi katysaneke ya 70 000 cubic kilometers ya misava ayi chayisiwile leyinga suka emisaveni kuya emoyeni, leswinga vanga papa rikulu swinene ra ritshuri leringa vonaka exibakabakeni kufikela risivela na dyambu.
Swipetlu swa maribye aswitele emoyeni leswi aswi hangalaka kufana na mpfula elyi naka kuringana kwalomu ka magidigidi yati kilomitara xikan’we na moya lowu awu hunga emisaveni, leswi aswi famba hi rivilo ra madzana dzana wati kilomitara hi awara. Xirhengele lexi axiri 50 wati kilomitara hivuenti bya misava leyi yinga xandzunuriwa. Ku engetela kwalano, mpfilu-mpfilu lowu, leswi wunga swiendla wuvange kupfumala ntshamiseko wa misava, ndzhinginiko, ku vaviseka ka misava kukatsa na makhombo yanwana ya ntumbuluko lawa yangava kona eka planet.

Vredefort Dome

Makhumbi lawa yanga vangiwa hi kutlumbiwa loku yavuye ya wa kunene hi xihatla, hambi swiritano, kuve na xirhengele lexi nga pimiwa ku fika eka kwalomu ka 300 wati kilomitara loku kunga sala ku endlekile. Exikarhi, kuvuye ku tlakuka misav hile xikarhi laha misava yinga tlumbiwa hikona kusala kuri na xivumbeko xa dome, kufana na xivumbeko lexivaka kona loko munhu a tlulela endzeni ka mati. Vredefort Dome yi vumbekile kusukela kwalano. Kuvile kona nhlayo ya swivumbeko leswinga endliwa eka mphuka lowu ringanaka kufana na ti ripples endzeni ka mati.
Hindlela leyinga tshembiseki, mintirho leyi yotala yihumelele endzhaku ka 15 wa timinete endzhaku kaku chayisiwa ko sungula! Loko kuve akuri na vutomi byokarhi amisaveni, ehandle ka ti bacteria, sweswo aswitava swiherise swivubiwa swotala swinene. Kahle kahle, leri akuri khombo lerikulu swinene – lerikulu swinene na nghozi leyihumeleleke khale emisaveni. Se, ahiyimeleni ritshuri rihangalaka kutani hinghena ku langutisisa leswinga humelela.

Translated by Ike Ngobeni