A steeply-inclined trajectory for the Chicxulub impact

Gareth Collins; Narissa Patel; Thomas Davison; A. S. P. Rae; J. V. Morgan; Sean Gulick; IODP-ICDP Expedition 364 Science Party; G. L. Christeson; E. Chenot; P. Claeys; C. S. Cockell; M. J. L. Coolen; L. Ferrière; C. Gebhardt; K. Goto; H. Jones; D. A. Kring; J. Lofi; C. M. Lowery; R. Ocampo-Torres; L. Perez-Cruz; A. E. Pickersgill; M. H. Poelchau; C. Rasmussen; M. Rebolledo-Vieyra; U. Riller; H. Sato; J. Smit; S. M. Tikoo; N. Tomioka; J. Urrutia-Fucugauchi; M. T. Whalen; A. Wittmann; L. Xiao; K. E. Yamaguchi; Third-Party Scientists; N. Artemieva; T. J. Bralower

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-15269-x

A steeply-inclined trajectory for the Chicxulub impact

Gareth Collins, Narissa Patel, Thomas Davison, A. S. P. Rae, J. V. Morgan, Sean Gulick, IODP-ICDP Expedition 364 Science Party, G. L. Christeson, E. Chenot, P. Claeys, C. S. Cockell, M. J. L. Coolen, L. Ferrière, C. Gebhardt, K. Goto, H. Jones, D. A. Kring, J. Lofi, C. M. Lowery, R. Ocampo-TorresL. Perez-Cruz, A. E. Pickersgill, M. H. Poelchau, C. Rasmussen, M. Rebolledo-Vieyra, U. Riller, H. Sato, J. Smit, S. M. Tikoo, N. Tomioka, J. Urrutia-Fucugauchi, M. T. Whalen, A. Wittmann, L. Xiao, K. E. Yamaguchi, Third-Party Scientists, N. Artemieva, T. J. Bralower

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The environmental severity of large impacts on Earth is influenced by their impact trajectory. Impact direction and angle to the target plane affect the volume and depth of origin of vaporized target, as well as the trajectories of ejected material. The asteroid impact that formed the 66 Ma Chicxulub crater had a profound and catastrophic effect on Earth’s environment, but the impact trajectory is debated. Here we show that impact angle and direction can be diagnosed by asymmetries in the subsurface structure of the Chicxulub crater. Comparison of 3D numerical simulations of Chicxulub-scale impacts with geophysical observations suggests that the Chicxulub crater was formed by a steeply-inclined (45–60 to horizontal) impact from the northeast; several lines of evidence rule out a low angle (less than 30) impact. A steeply-inclined impact produces a nearly symmetric distribution of ejected rock and releases more climate-changing gases per impactor mass than either a very shallow or near-vertical impact.

Original language	English
Journal	Nature Communications
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15269-x
Publication status	Published - 26 May 2020

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10.1038/s41467-020-15269-x

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Collins, G., Patel, N., Davison, T., Rae, A. S. P., Morgan, J. V., Gulick, S., Party, IODP.-ICDP. E. . S., Christeson, G. L., Chenot, E., Claeys, P., Cockell, C. S., Coolen, M. J. L., Ferrière, L., Gebhardt, C., Goto, K., Jones, H., Kring, D. A., Lofi, J., Lowery, C. M., ... Bralower, T. J. (2020). A steeply-inclined trajectory for the Chicxulub impact. Nature Communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15269-x

@article{2c07cd9930774bc7b1291828dec778f5,

title = "A steeply-inclined trajectory for the Chicxulub impact",

abstract = "The environmental severity of large impacts on Earth is influenced by their impact trajectory. Impact direction and angle to the target plane affect the volume and depth of origin of vaporized target, as well as the trajectories of ejected material. The asteroid impact that formed the 66 Ma Chicxulub crater had a profound and catastrophic effect on Earth{\textquoteright}s environment, but the impact trajectory is debated. Here we show that impact angle and direction can be diagnosed by asymmetries in the subsurface structure of the Chicxulub crater. Comparison of 3D numerical simulations of Chicxulub-scale impacts with geophysical observations suggests that the Chicxulub crater was formed by a steeply-inclined (45–60 to horizontal) impact from the northeast; several lines of evidence rule out a low angle (less than 30) impact. A steeply-inclined impact produces a nearly symmetric distribution of ejected rock and releases more climate-changing gases per impactor mass than either a very shallow or near-vertical impact.",

author = "Gareth Collins and Narissa Patel and Thomas Davison and Rae, \{A. S. P.\} and Morgan, \{J. V.\} and Sean Gulick and Party, \{IODP-ICDP Expedition 364 Science\} and Christeson, \{G. L.\} and E. Chenot and P. Claeys and Cockell, \{C. S.\} and Coolen, \{M. J. L.\} and L. Ferri{\`e}re and C. Gebhardt and K. Goto and H. Jones and Kring, \{D. A.\} and J. Lofi and Lowery, \{C. M.\} and R. Ocampo-Torres and L. Perez-Cruz and Pickersgill, \{A. E.\} and Poelchau, \{M. H.\} and C. Rasmussen and M. Rebolledo-Vieyra and U. Riller and H. Sato and J. Smit and Tikoo, \{S. M.\} and N. Tomioka and J. Urrutia-Fucugauchi and Whalen, \{M. T.\} and A. Wittmann and L. Xiao and Yamaguchi, \{K. E.\} and Third-Party Scientists and N. Artemieva and Bralower, \{T. J.\}",

year = "2020",

month = may,

day = "26",

doi = "10.1038/s41467-020-15269-x",

language = "English",

journal = "Nature Communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

}

Collins, G, Patel, N, Davison, T, Rae, ASP, Morgan, JV, Gulick, S, Party, IODP-ICDPES, Christeson, GL, Chenot, E, Claeys, P, Cockell, CS, Coolen, MJL, Ferrière, L, Gebhardt, C, Goto, K, Jones, H, Kring, DA, Lofi, J, Lowery, CM, Ocampo-Torres, R, Perez-Cruz, L, Pickersgill, AE, Poelchau, MH, Rasmussen, C, Rebolledo-Vieyra, M, Riller, U, Sato, H, Smit, J, Tikoo, SM, Tomioka, N, Urrutia-Fucugauchi, J, Whalen, MT, Wittmann, A, Xiao, L, Yamaguchi, KE, Scientists, T-P, Artemieva, N & Bralower, TJ 2020, 'A steeply-inclined trajectory for the Chicxulub impact', Nature Communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15269-x

TY - JOUR

T1 - A steeply-inclined trajectory for the Chicxulub impact

AU - Collins, Gareth

AU - Patel, Narissa

AU - Davison, Thomas

AU - Rae, A. S. P.

AU - Morgan, J. V.

AU - Gulick, Sean

AU - Party, IODP-ICDP Expedition 364 Science

AU - Christeson, G. L.

AU - Chenot, E.

AU - Claeys, P.

AU - Cockell, C. S.

AU - Coolen, M. J. L.

AU - Ferrière, L.

AU - Gebhardt, C.

AU - Goto, K.

AU - Jones, H.

AU - Kring, D. A.

AU - Lofi, J.

AU - Lowery, C. M.

AU - Ocampo-Torres, R.

AU - Perez-Cruz, L.

AU - Pickersgill, A. E.

AU - Poelchau, M. H.

AU - Rasmussen, C.

AU - Rebolledo-Vieyra, M.

AU - Riller, U.

AU - Sato, H.

AU - Smit, J.

AU - Tikoo, S. M.

AU - Tomioka, N.

AU - Urrutia-Fucugauchi, J.

AU - Whalen, M. T.

AU - Wittmann, A.

AU - Xiao, L.

AU - Yamaguchi, K. E.

AU - Scientists, Third-Party

AU - Artemieva, N.

AU - Bralower, T. J.

PY - 2020/5/26

Y1 - 2020/5/26

N2 - The environmental severity of large impacts on Earth is influenced by their impact trajectory. Impact direction and angle to the target plane affect the volume and depth of origin of vaporized target, as well as the trajectories of ejected material. The asteroid impact that formed the 66 Ma Chicxulub crater had a profound and catastrophic effect on Earth’s environment, but the impact trajectory is debated. Here we show that impact angle and direction can be diagnosed by asymmetries in the subsurface structure of the Chicxulub crater. Comparison of 3D numerical simulations of Chicxulub-scale impacts with geophysical observations suggests that the Chicxulub crater was formed by a steeply-inclined (45–60 to horizontal) impact from the northeast; several lines of evidence rule out a low angle (less than 30) impact. A steeply-inclined impact produces a nearly symmetric distribution of ejected rock and releases more climate-changing gases per impactor mass than either a very shallow or near-vertical impact.

AB - The environmental severity of large impacts on Earth is influenced by their impact trajectory. Impact direction and angle to the target plane affect the volume and depth of origin of vaporized target, as well as the trajectories of ejected material. The asteroid impact that formed the 66 Ma Chicxulub crater had a profound and catastrophic effect on Earth’s environment, but the impact trajectory is debated. Here we show that impact angle and direction can be diagnosed by asymmetries in the subsurface structure of the Chicxulub crater. Comparison of 3D numerical simulations of Chicxulub-scale impacts with geophysical observations suggests that the Chicxulub crater was formed by a steeply-inclined (45–60 to horizontal) impact from the northeast; several lines of evidence rule out a low angle (less than 30) impact. A steeply-inclined impact produces a nearly symmetric distribution of ejected rock and releases more climate-changing gases per impactor mass than either a very shallow or near-vertical impact.

UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15269-x

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-020-15269-x

DO - 10.1038/s41467-020-15269-x

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-1723

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

ER -

A steeply-inclined trajectory for the Chicxulub impact

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A steeply-inclined trajectory for the Chicxulub impact

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