Iridium Anomaly Approximately Synchronous with Terminal Eocene Extinctions
10.1126/science.216.4548.886
Crossref journal-article
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Science (221)
Abstract

An iridium anomaly has been found in coincidence with the known microtektite level in cores from Deep Sea Drilling Project site 149 in the Caribbean Sea. The iridium was probably not in the microtektites but deposited simultaneously with them; this could occur if the iridium was deposited from a dust cloud resulting from a bolide impact, as suggested for the anomaly associated with the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Other workers have deduced that the microtektites are part of the North American strewn tektite field, which is dated at about 34 million years before present, and that the microtektite horizon in deep-sea cores is synchronous with the extinction of five radiolarian species. Mass extinctions also occur in terrestrial mammals within 4 million years of this time. The iridium anomaly and the tektites and microtektites are supportive of a major bolide impact about 34 million years ago.

Bibliography

Alvarez, W., Asaro, F., Michel, H. V., & Alvarez, L. W. (1982). Iridium Anomaly Approximately Synchronous with Terminal Eocene Extinctions. Science, 216(4548), 886–888.

Authors 4
  1. Walter Alvarez (first)
  2. Frank Asaro (additional)
  3. Helen V. Michel (additional)
  4. Luis W. Alvarez (additional)
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Dates
Type When
Created 18 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 5, 2006, 2:30 p.m.)
Deposited 1 year, 7 months ago (Jan. 12, 2024, 5:48 a.m.)
Indexed 9 months ago (Nov. 19, 2024, 11:02 a.m.)
Issued 43 years, 3 months ago (May 21, 1982)
Published 43 years, 3 months ago (May 21, 1982)
Published Print 43 years, 3 months ago (May 21, 1982)
Funders 0

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@article{Alvarez_1982, title={Iridium Anomaly Approximately Synchronous with Terminal Eocene Extinctions}, volume={216}, ISSN={1095-9203}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.216.4548.886}, DOI={10.1126/science.216.4548.886}, number={4548}, journal={Science}, publisher={American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}, author={Alvarez, Walter and Asaro, Frank and Michel, Helen V. and Alvarez, Luis W.}, year={1982}, month=may, pages={886–888} }