ABSTRACT

The accurately measured ages of 89 large impact craters and layers were compared with the boundary dates for periods, epochs, and ages of the geological time-scale by a weighted least-squares fit. They are highly correlated with a χ²/f = 0.63. A Monte Carlo simulation of randomly chosen crater ages gives a >99.8 per cent probability that this result is not random. No craters are found in the oceans or, until recently, in ice which collectively cover 80 per cent of Earth’s surface indicating that far more impacts have occurred than are known. Multiple impacts cluster near the times of boundary dates so, based on the observed cluster sizes assuming a binomial distribution, it was determined that the average cluster multiplicity is five. Comparison of the impact ages with the dates of the great extinctions revealed a strong correlation with χ²/f = 0.36 and a multiplicity of 8–9 impacts. It is shown that volcanism, although correlated with boundary dates, is a continuous process unrelated to sudden extinctions. During the past 125 Ma, the rate of global change and the impact rate have increased dramatically as the Earth passes near the OB star association. Multiple impacts 12.9 ka ago ended the Pleistocene epoch at the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD) causing worldwide extinctions. The date and extent of the YD impact may be consistent with a 62 Ma cycle of major impact events. During the Holocene 20 crater, airburst and impact tsunami chevron ages correspond to dates of global cooling with a χ²/f = 0.75 and >99 per cent probability. Future impacts could reverse global warming or even induce next ice age.

中文翻译：

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撞击坑年龄与年代地层边界日期之间的相关性

摘要

通过加权最小二乘拟合，将精确测量的89个大型撞击坑和岩层的年龄与地质时间尺度的时期，纪元和年龄的边界日期进行了比较。他们是高度相关的有χ ² / ˚F= 0.63。随机选择的陨石坑年龄的蒙特卡洛模拟给出了> 99.8％的概率，表明该结果不是随机的。在海洋中或直到最近，在覆盖了地球80％表面的冰中没有发现任何陨石坑，这表明发生的撞击远远超过已知的撞击。多重影响聚类在边界日期的时间附近，因此，基于假设二项式分布的观察到的聚类大小，可以确定平均聚类多重性为5。影响与年龄大灭绝的日期的比较揭示了与χ较强的相关性² / ˚F= 0.36和8–9的多重影响。结果表明，火山活动虽然与边界日期有关，但却是与突然灭绝无关的连续过程。在过去的125 Ma中，随着地球经过OB星团附近，全球变化率和影响率急剧增加。12.9 ka之前的多重影响结束了更新世的纪元，开始了年轻的树妖（YD）的灭绝，并在世界范围内灭绝。YD影响的日期和程度可能与主要影响事件的62 Ma周期一致。在全新世20的火山口，空中爆炸和冲击海啸山形年龄对应于与χ冷却的全球日期² / ˚F = 0.75和> 99％的概率。未来的影响可能会逆转全球变暖，甚至诱发下一个冰河时代。