Did multiple asteroid impacts trigger the K/T extinction and Deccan volcanism?

  • Thread starter Thread starter alantheastronomer
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Extinction
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
2 replies · 5K views
alantheastronomer
Messages
256
Reaction score
77
Both an asteroid impact in the Gulf of Mexico and an extensive volcanic event resulting in the formation of the Deccan Traps on the Indian subcontinent are thought to have caused the K/T extinction some 66 million years ago. The timing of both events are extremely close. It has also been suggested that another asteroid impact resulting in the "Shiva crater" might have triggered the volcanic eruptions. Is it possible that there might have been multiple asteroid impacts around the globe, and has iridium been found in the K/T boundary layers at the Deccan Traps?
 
Earth sciences news on Phys.org
alantheastronomer said:
Is it possible that there might have been multiple asteroid impacts around the globe

Possible, but extremely unlikely. Asteroid impacts of that size just don't happen that often. Plus the Shiva crater isn't even recognized as an impact crater by most of the scientific community.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Bystander
Drakkith said:
Possible, but extremely unlikely. Asteroid impacts of that size just don't happen that often. Plus the Shiva crater isn't even recognized as an impact crater by most of the scientific community.

indeed

that guy and his colleagues seems to be the only ones hypothesizing the possibility

+km+in+diameter%2C+hypothesized+by+Sankar+Chatterjee+to+be+result+of+impact+with+40+km+asteroid..jpg
 

Attachments

  • +km+in+diameter%2C+hypothesized+by+Sankar+Chatterjee+to+be+result+of+impact+with+40+km+asteroid..jpg
    +km+in+diameter%2C+hypothesized+by+Sankar+Chatterjee+to+be+result+of+impact+with+40+km+asteroid..jpg
    59.1 KB · Views: 1,702
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Drakkith