Work

Spatio-temporal volume recalibration shows Deccan volcanism caused Terminal Cretaceous Mass Extinction

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The recognition of Deccan flood basalts as a causal mechanism for the Terminal Cretaceous Mass Extinction has been contentious. Our computation of their spatio-temporal distribution reiterates that ~1.5 million km3 of the Deccan flood basalts erupted in <700 k.y., during Chron C29r (66.31–65.73 Ma) straddling the 66.05 Ma Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (KPgB). Unlike earlier projections, we demonstrate that ~70% of these lavas erupted in the terminal Maastrichtian before the KPgB. The toxic degassing of the lavas in the ~300 k.y. prior to the KPgB set the stage for mass extinction. The early Danian lavas contributed to the delayed biotic recovery.

Source: Geological Society of America Bulletin

DOI: 10.1130/b38412.1

Authors: Vivek S. Kale, Devdutt Upasani, Madhu Rajput, Gauri Dole, Shilpa Patil Pillai

Institutions: Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management, Fergusson College, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune

Language: English

Topic: Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils

Subfield: Paleontology

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Indian Institute of Science, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali

OpenAlex ID: W4415930688