Publication Abstracts

Rampino and Caldeira 2015

Rampino, M.R., and K. Caldeira, 2015: Periodic impact cratering and extinction events over the last 260 million years. Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 454, no. 4, 3480-3484, doi:10.1093/mnras/stv2088.

The claims of periodicity in impact cratering and biological extinction events are controversial. A newly revised record of dated impact craters has been analyzed for periodicity, and compared with the record of extinctions over the past 260 Myr. A digital circular spectral analysis of 37 crater ages (ranging in age from 15 to 254 Myr ago) yielded evidence for a significant 25.8±0.6 Myr cycle. Using the same method, we found a significant 27.0±0.7 Myr cycle in the dates of the eight recognized marine extinction events over the same period. The cycles detected in impacts and extinctions have a similar phase. The impact crater dataset shows 11 apparent peaks in the last 260 Myr, at least 5 of which correlate closely with significant extinction peaks. These results suggest that the hypothesis of periodic impacts and extinction events is still viable.

Export citation: [ BibTeX ] [ RIS ]

BibTeX Citation

@article{ra04800g,
  author={Rampino, M. R. and Caldeira, K.},
  title={Periodic impact cratering and extinction events over the last 260 million years},
  year={2015},
  journal={Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
  volume={454},
  number={4},
  pages={3480--3484},
  doi={10.1093/mnras/stv2088},
}

[ Close ]

RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ra04800g
AU  - Rampino, M. R.
AU  - Caldeira, K.
PY  - 2015
TI  - Periodic impact cratering and extinction events over the last 260 million years
JA  - Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc.
JO  - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
VL  - 454
IS  - 4
SP  - 3480
EP  - 3484
DO  - 10.1093/mnras/stv2088
ER  -

[ Close ]

• Return to 2015 Publications

• Return to Publications Homepage