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Can Siderophile Element Abundances and Ratios Across the K-Pg Boundary be used to Discriminate Between Possible Types of Chondrites?
Book Contribution - Book Chapter Conference Contribution
Since the discovery over 30 years
ago at Gubbio (Italy) and Caravaca (Spain) of an enrichment
in the concentrations of iridium (Ir) and the
other platinum group elements (PGE) by up to four
orders of magnitude (Irmax = 0.10-87 ng/g) compared to
average continental crustal background levels, PGE
anomalies have been detected in more than 120 Cretaceous-
Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary sites worldwide
[1,2]. Elevated Ir and other siderophile element abundances
in roughly chondritic ratios are considered
strong indicators for the presence of a meteoritic contribution
in impact-related lithologies (melt rocks, impact
ejecta material, etc.), delivered when an extraterrestrial
object strikes Earth [3,4].
ago at Gubbio (Italy) and Caravaca (Spain) of an enrichment
in the concentrations of iridium (Ir) and the
other platinum group elements (PGE) by up to four
orders of magnitude (Irmax = 0.10-87 ng/g) compared to
average continental crustal background levels, PGE
anomalies have been detected in more than 120 Cretaceous-
Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary sites worldwide
[1,2]. Elevated Ir and other siderophile element abundances
in roughly chondritic ratios are considered
strong indicators for the presence of a meteoritic contribution
in impact-related lithologies (melt rocks, impact
ejecta material, etc.), delivered when an extraterrestrial
object strikes Earth [3,4].
Book: 44th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, Texas, USA
Number of pages: 2
Publication year:2013