Chicxulub impact predates K–T boundary: New evidence from Brazos, Texas

Keller, Gerta; Adatte, Thierry; Berner, Zsolt; Harting, M.; Baum, George; Prauss, Michael L.; Tantawy, Abdel Aziz; Stueben, D.

doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2006.12.026

Cited by 75 publications

(83 citation statements)

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“…whilst there is a close match between the timing of the Chicxulub impact crater in Mexico and the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, 65.6 million years ago, there is growing evidence [3] that even this massive impact did not alone cause the extinction. Furthermore, the evidence for major impacts at the time of other mass extinctions is sparse or non-existent; therefore some other mechanism needs to be invoked.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, superdeep borehole SG-6 in the Urengoy Rift penetrated more than 1 km of basaltic lava before being abandoned, with seismic data suggesting at least a further 1 km of basalt below this level [20] . A 'working estimate' for the total volume of eruptives and shallow-level intrusives is 3 million km 3 , with an error of about 1 million km 3 either way. To put this into perspective, 3 million km 3 would bury an area equivalent to the entire UK beneath a layer of basalt some 12 km thick, or an area the size of China beneath a layer about 300 m thick.…”

Section: Extent and Volume Of The Siberian Trapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A 'working estimate' for the total volume of eruptives and shallow-level intrusives is 3 million km 3 , with an error of about 1 million km 3 either way. To put this into perspective, 3 million km 3 would bury an area equivalent to the entire UK beneath a layer of basalt some 12 km thick, or an area the size of China beneath a layer about 300 m thick. However, even the minimum estimate is significantly larger than recent estimates for the Deccan Traps (~1.3×10 6 km 3 ) [21] .…”

Section: Extent and Volume Of The Siberian Trapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, the Siberian eruptions may have been particularly sulphur rich, because some of the ascending magmas interacted with evaporate deposits [83] . Unlike the Pinatubo eruption, where an estimated 0.02 Gt of SO 2 equivalent were injected into the atmosphere [84] , a major flood basalt eruption of 1000 km 3 could release between 3 and 10 Gt [71,72,82] , and rapidly successive eruptive events could lead to massive atmospheric loading of sulphates [28,82] . The release would be sustained for the duration of the eruption, lasting several years or decades, and leading to a large reduction in the transmission of light through the atmosphere.…”

Section: Sulphur Dioxide and Halogensmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Siberian Traps and the End-Permian mass extinction: a critical review

2009

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The association between the Siberian Traps, the largest continental flood basalt province, and the largest-known mass extinction event at the end of the Permian period, has been strengthened by recently-published high-precision 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dates from widespread localities across the Siberian province [1] . We argue that the impact of the volcanism was amplified by the prevailing late Permian environmental conditions-in particular, the hothouse climate, with sluggish oceanic circulation, that was leading to widespread oceanic anoxia. Volcanism released large masses of sulphate aerosols and carbon dioxide, the former triggering short-duration volcanic winters, the latter leading to long-term warming. Whilst the mass of CO 2 released from individual eruptions was small compared with the total mass of carbon in the atmosphere-ocean system, the long 'mean lifetime' of atmospheric CO 2 , compared with the eruption flux and duration, meant that significant accumulation could occur over periods of 10 5 years. Compromise of the carbon sequestration systems (by curtailment of photosynthesis, destruction of biomass, and warming and acidification of the oceans) probably led to rapid atmospheric CO 2 build-up, warming, and shallow-water anoxia, leading ultimately to mass extinction.continental flood basalts, oceanic anoxia, radiometric dating, CO 2 , SO 2

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Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Extent and Volume Of The Siberian Trapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Extent and Volume Of The Siberian Trapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Sulphur Dioxide and Halogensmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Siberian Traps and the End-Permian mass extinction: a critical review

2009

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“…It has been suggested that the Chicxulub impact preceded the K/T event and that a second large and as-yet unknown impact coincided with the K/T mass extinction. This multiple impact scenario is based on the stratigraphic position of proximal Chicxulub impact ejecta deposits in northeastern Mexico and Texas, where lenses of ejecta spherules are locally embedded within the Maastrichtian marls, for instance, at the Loma Cerca, the El Penon, and the Brazos K/T sections (Keller et al , 2007. Additionally, Keller et al (2004) interpreted a 0.66 m thick cross-bedded and dolomitized calcarenite overlying the suevite breccia in the Yaxopoil-1 drill core as a long-term latest Maastrichtian deposit.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trace element concentrations in the Mexico‐Belize ejecta layer: A link between the Chicxulub impact and the global Cretaceous‐Paleogene boundary

Wigforss-Lange

Vajda

Ocampo³

2007

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

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Abstract-Four exposures of Chicxulub impact ejecta along the Mexico-Belize border have been sampled and analyzed for major and trace element abundances. The ejecta deposits consist of a lower spheroid bed, containing clay and dolomite spheroids, and an upper diamictite bed with boulders and clasts of limestone and dolomite. The matrix of both beds is composed of clay and micritic dolomite. The rare earth element (REE) compositions in the matrix of both units show strong similarities in concentrations and pattern. Furthermore, the Zr/TiO 2 scatter plot shows a linear correlation indicating one source. These results indicate that the basal spheroid bed has the same source and was generated during the same event as the overlying diamictite bed, which lends support to a single-impact scenario for the Albion Formation ejecta deposits.The elevated concentrations of non-meteoritic elements such as Sb, As, U, and Zn in the matrix of the lower spheroid bed are regarded to have been derived from the sedimentary target rocks at the Chicxulub impact site. The positive Eu and Ce anomalies in clay concretion and in the matrix of the lower part of the spheroid bed in Albion Island quarry is probably related to processes involved in the impact, such as high temperature and oxidizing conditions. Analogous trace element anomalies have been reported from the distal Cretaceous-Paleogene (K/T) boundary clay layer at different sites. Thus, the trace element signals, reported herein, are regarded to support a genetic link between the Chicxulub impact, the ejecta deposits along the Mexico-Belize border, and the global K/T boundary layer.

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Critical Intervals in Earth History

Wiese

Reitner

2011

Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series

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Chicxulub impact predates K–T boundary: New evidence from Brazos, Texas

Cited by 75 publications

References 23 publications

The Siberian Traps and the End-Permian mass extinction: a critical review

The Siberian Traps and the End-Permian mass extinction: a critical review

Trace element concentrations in the Mexico‐Belize ejecta layer: A link between the Chicxulub impact and the global Cretaceous‐Paleogene boundary

Critical Intervals in Earth History

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