State shift in Deccan volcanism at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, possibly induced by impact

• Autores: Paul R. Renne, Stephen Self, Loÿc Vanderkluysen
• Localización: Science, ISSN 0036-8075, Vol. 350, Nº 6256, 2015, págs. 76-78
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Bolide impact and flood volcanism compete as leading candidates for the cause of terminal-Cretaceous mass extinctions. High-precision 40Ar/39Ar data indicate that these two mechanisms may be genetically related, and neither can be considered in isolation. The existing Deccan Traps magmatic system underwent a state shift approximately coincident with the Chicxulub impact and the terminal-Cretaceous mass extinctions, after which ~70% of the Traps' total volume was extruded in more massive and more episodic eruptions. Initiation of this new regime occurred within ~50,000 years of the impact, which is consistent with transient effects of impact-induced seismic energy. Postextinction recovery of marine ecosystems was probably suppressed until after the accelerated volcanism waned.