Critical evaluation of the age of the Deccan Traps, India: Implications for flood-basalt volcanism and faunal extinctions Available to Purchase

Attempts to evaluate the possible link between flood-basalt volcanism and the faunal extinctions observed at the K/T boundary must rely on precise knowledge of the amount of such volcanism that took place ∼65 Ma. The current geochronological data do not permit close resolution of either the timing or the duration of Deccan volcanism; the age of the bulk of the material is placed in the range ∼70-60 Ma. Further resolution of this hypothesis awaits acquisition of high-quality ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar plateau ages on key sections of the Deccan Traps.