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The Dual Forces Behind Dinosaur Extinction: Asteroid and Volcanoes

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Chapter 1: Understanding Dinosaur Extinction

For many years, scientists have theorized that a colossal asteroid impact 66 million years ago was the primary cause of the extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs. However, recent research indicates that volcanic activity may have also significantly contributed to the demise of these ancient creatures.

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Section 1.1: The Asteroid Impact and Volcanic Eruptions

New findings published in the journal Science suggest that the asteroid impact alone may not have triggered the mass extinction event that eradicated the dinosaurs and many other species. Both studies emphasize the role of volcanic eruptions, though the exact extent of their influence remains unclear.

It appears that the asteroid impact in the Caribbean Sea may have instigated extensive volcanic activity in India. Together, these two catastrophic events likely contributed to the nearly simultaneous mass extinction that led to the dinosaurs' downfall.

Subsection 1.1.1: Volcanic Activity and Its Consequences

Volcanic eruptions and their impact on climate

The recent studies provide insight into large lava flows that have erupted throughout Earth’s history, altering the atmosphere and influencing life on the planet. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, report the most accurate dates for the significant volcanic eruptions in India that coincided with the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period, indicated by the K-Pg boundary. These eruptions created the Deccan Traps, vast flood basalts that extend for at least 500 kilometers and reach thicknesses of nearly 2 kilometers.

Geological formations from the Deccan Traps

Paul Renne, a professor at UC Berkeley and lead author of the study, states, "With our improved dating of the Deccan Traps lava flows, we observe that the transitions appear consistent across various locations. We can confidently assert that these eruptions occurred within a range of 50,000 to 30,000 years following the impact, suggesting they were nearly simultaneous."

Section 1.2: Reevaluating the Timeline

The new dating also confirms that the lava flows persisted for about a million years, but reveals an unexpected detail: approximately 75% of the lava erupted after the asteroid impact, contrary to previous estimates that suggested around 80% occurred beforehand.

If the majority of the Deccan Traps lava was expelled post-impact, this shifts the understanding of how volcanic gases may have contributed to global warming in the final 400,000 years of the Cretaceous Period, a time when average temperatures rose by about 8°C.

During this warming phase, species adapted to hotter conditions, only to face a sudden drop in temperature caused by dust and gases from either the asteroid impact or volcanic activity. This drastic change likely led to a mass extinction event.

Chapter 2: The Interplay of Catastrophes

A New Study Sheds Light On What Killed The Dinosaurs!

This video delves into the latest findings regarding the dual effects of an asteroid impact and volcanic eruptions that contributed to the extinction of dinosaurs.

How The Dinosaurs Actually Died

This video explores various theories surrounding the extinction of dinosaurs, emphasizing the role of both asteroid impacts and volcanic activity.

Renne and his team utilize argon-argon dating to clarify the timeline of events at the end of the Cretaceous and the beginning of the Tertiary Period, known as the K-Pg boundary. Previous studies have established the impact occurred approximately 66,052,000 years ago, plus or minus 8,000 years. Their research indicates the peak of the Deccan Traps eruptions coincided closely with this impact.

The simultaneous occurrences of these disasters likely delivered a devastating one-two punch to life on Earth. Volcanic eruptions release various gases, some of which can warm the planet while others contribute to cooling. Meanwhile, the asteroid impact would have released dust into the atmosphere, blocking sunlight and cooling the Earth, though the duration of this effect remains uncertain.

Impact of volcanic eruptions on the environment

Renne notes, "Both the asteroid impact and volcanic activity can create similar environmental consequences, but they occur across vastly different time scales. Understanding the timing of these events is crucial to determining their respective impacts on the extinction event."

The question of which gases were emitted from the Deccan Traps and when remains complex, as there are no current flood basalt eruptions to study. The Deccan Traps, being relatively young, offer valuable insights into the eruption sequence and their potential role in the extinction.

Renne speculates about the possibility of external factors, like the asteroid impact, triggering significant volcanic activity in other historical flood basalts, such as those in the Columbia River or the Siberian Traps.

In the same issue of Science, a research team from Princeton University also presents new data regarding the Deccan Traps, providing a contrasting perspective to the Berkeley group’s findings. The variations in dating methods highlight the complexities of reconstructing this pivotal period in Earth's history.

Geological exploration in India

Originally published at sciscomedia.co.uk on February 21, 2019.

Research on the Deccan Traps

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