Robin, Eric; Froget, Laurence; Jehanno, Celestine; Rocchia, Robert (1993): Geochemistry of DSDP Hole 86-577B samples [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.769902, Supplement to: Robin, E et al. (1993): Evidence for a K/T impact event in the Pacific Ocean. Nature, 363(6430), 615-617, https://doi.org/10.1038/363615a0
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Abstract:
THE chemical, mineralogical and isotopic characteristics of deposits at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary are suggestive of a large impact event, the prime candidate (Sharpton et al., 1992, doi:10.1038/359819a0) being the Chicxulub crater in Yucatan, Mexico. Spinel-bearing spherules, which may be associated with such impacts, have been reported (Smit and Romein, 1985, doi:10.1016/0012-821X(85)90019-6) at several K/T boundary sites worldwide, but their origin is still uncertain. We have examined the spinel-bearing material recovered from K/T boundary deposits at site 577 in the Pacific Ocean (Heath et al., 1985, doi:10.2973/dsdp.proc.86.104.1985) and find two distinct populations of particles: spherules with dendritic spinel textures dispersed throughout the grains and irregularly shaped fragments with spinels essentially confined to the rim. The morphology and composition of the particles are characteristic of melted and partially melted meteoritic ablation debris, but their location is difficult to reconcile with an impact on the Yucatan peninsula, some 10,000 km away. We suggest instead that the spinel-bearing particles at site 577 are derived from the impact of a 2-km asteroid in the Pacific Ocean, and that several accretionary events of this type are required to explain the global distribution of spinel-bearing spherules at the K/T boundary.
Project(s):
Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP)
Coverage:
Latitude: 32.441300 * Longitude: 157.723200
Date/Time Start: 1982-05-23T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 1982-05-23T00:00:00
Event(s):
86-577B * Latitude: 32.441300 * Longitude: 157.723200 * Date/Time: 1982-05-23T00:00:00 * Elevation: -2675.0 m * Penetration: 113.9 m * Recovery: 9.6 m * Location: North Pacific * Campaign: Leg86 * Basis: Glomar Challenger * Method/Device: Drilling/drill rig (DRILL) * Comment: 1 cores; 9.5 m cored; 0 m drilled; 101.4 % recovery
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
Size:
2 datasets
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Datasets listed in this publication series
- Robin, E; Froget, L; Jehanno, C et al. (1993): (Table 1) Major element analyses of DSDP Hole 86-577B samples. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.769900
- Robin, E; Froget, L; Jehanno, C et al. (1993): (Table 2) Trace element analyses of DSDP Hole 86-577B samples. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.769901