Late Pleistocene Glacial-Paleosol-cosmic record of the Viso Massif—France and Italy: New evidence in support of the Younger Dryas boundary (12.8 ka)

The Encke comet impact/airburst and the Younger Dryas Boundary: Testing the impossible hypothesis (YDIH)

“…5 for example) embedded in paleosol covers in LG moraines. Similar evidence was recovered in sediment of YD moraines, with the final summary of sites identified in Mahaney et al (2022;Figs 1 and 2). The effect of pressure and heat waves on rock (i.e.…”

“…This contrasts with the upper Po valley of Italy where YD moraine lies adjacent to LG moraine (Fig. 3B, the YD partially eroded by fluviatile activity) (Mahaney et al, 2017a(Mahaney et al, , 2022. The landform evidence clearly repre- For refinements of pedological terms see Mahaney (1990).…”

“…In the Alps (Figs 1A, 1B) the BM was identified, first in weathering rinds (Mahaney & Keiser, 2013;Mahaney et al, 2013a), later reinforced with identified soot (ash) in paleosols (Fig. 2) (Mahaney et al, 2022), identified horizons carrying grains with cosmic signatures including elevated REEs, Pt elements including Ir, Rh and Ru, elevated base metals, fused/melted/air-quenched grains, buckyball-like grains, and carbon and Fe-encrusted spherules along with carbon clusters fused in place. The weathering rind repository for cosmic evidence (Mahaney et al, 2016b) of an airburst is likely the first of its kind worldwide, and built on previous rind analysis by Nelson (1954), Sharp (1969), Mahaney (1990), Birkeland (1999) and Ricker et al (1993), later added to by Mahaney & Schwartz (2016, 2021.…”

The Encke Comet Impact/Airburst and the Younger Dryas Boundary: Testing the Impossible Hypothesis (YDIH)

“…In the Alps (Figs. 1A, 1B) the BM was identi ed rst in weathering rinds (Mahaney and Keiser, 2013;Mahaney et al, 2013a), later reinforced with identi ed soot in paleosols (Mahaney et al, 2022), identi ed horizons carrying grains with cosmic signatures (elevated REEs, Pt elements including Ir, Rh and Ru, elevated base metals, fused/melted/air-quenched grains, buckyball-like grains, and carbon and Feencrusted spherules along with carbon clusters fused in place. The weathering rind repository for cosmic evidence (Mahaney et al (2016b) of an impact or airburst is likely the rst of its kind worldwide, and built on previous rind analysis by Nelson (1954), Sharp (1969), Mahaney (1990), Birkeland (1999) The YD climatic divide evidence rests on pollen evidence (Hartz, and Milthers, 1901;Hartz, 1912) for northern Europe, enlarged into the North Atlantic region by Lowe et al (2008) and Lohne et al, (2013Lohne et al, ( , 2014.…”

“…, Ricker et al(1993),Mahaney and Schwartz, 2016, later added to byMahaney and Schwartz (2021). Similar to the Andes, but lacking the distinct BM strata, sedimentary evidence is supported by superposed YD on LG moraine in the Guil Valley of France (Fig.2A); in the upper Po valley of Italy, YD moraine lies adjacent toLG moraine (Fig.2B, the YD partially eroded by uviatile activity(Mahaney et al, 2017a(Mahaney et al, , 2022. The landform evidence clearly represents climate driven shifts in glacial mass balances during or at the end of the Allerød, such that the BM was left in place following the maximum YD resurgence and subsequent withdrawal along with at least one pause/stillstand in YD retreat.…”