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- Title
Impact mechanics of the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction bolide.
- Authors
O'Keefe, John D.; Ahrens, Thomas J.
- Abstract
On Earth impact of ∼ 10 km diameter, asteroidal or cometary objects the vaporized, melted and (< 1 mm) solid ejecta transfer ∼40-50% of their energy to the atmosphere, giving rise to a short possibly lethal (to large animals) heating pulse. Some 1-20 projectile masses of early, high-speed and highly shocked (diameter, <1 µm) extraterrestrial-rich ejecta is lofted to altitudes of 10 km where it can be globally distributed. It is proposed that this material represents the global Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer. When in the upper atmosphere it may have caused decreases in solar tropospheric insolation and resulting major extinctions in biota.
- Publication
Nature, 1982, Vol 298, Issue 5870, p123
- ISSN
0028-0836
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/298123a0