The Cretaceous−Paleogene boundary is marked by a large impact and coeval mass extinction event that occurred 66 m.y. ago. Contemporaneous emplacement of the volcanic Deccan Traps also affected global climate before, during, and after the mass extinction. Many questions remain about the timing and eruption rates of Deccan volcanism, its precise forcing of climatic changes, and its signature in the marine geochemical sedimentary proxy record. Here, we compile new and existing mercury (Hg) concentration and osmium isotope (187Os/188Os) records for various stratigraphic sections worldwide. Both geochemical proxies have been suggested to reflect past variations in Deccan volcanic activity. New data from deep marine pelagic carbonate records are compared to contemporaneous records from shallower marine sites correlated through high-resolution cyclostratigraphic age models. The robustness of the proxy records is evaluated on a common timeline and compared to two different Deccan eruption history scenarios. Results show that the global 187Os/188Os signal is clearly reproducible, while the global Hg record does not form a consistent pattern. Moreover, the deep marine sections investigated do not record clear variations in the Hg cycle, particularly in the latest Cretaceous, prior to the extinction event. A detailed reevaluation of the precise depth of the redistribution of impactor-sourced platinum group elements does not exclude the possibility of a minor drop in 187Os/188Os corresponding with a pulse of Deccan volcanism ∼50,000 years before the Cretaceous−Paleogene boundary. Simple Os isotope mass balance modeling indicates that the latest Cretaceous was marked by significant levels of basalt weathering. CO2 sequestration during this weathering likely overwhelmed the emission of Deccan volatiles, thereby contributing to the end of the late Maastrichtian warming.
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Research Article|
September 30, 2024
Early Publication
Deep marine records of Deccan Trap volcanism before the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) mass extinction
Matthias Sinnesael;
Matthias Sinnesael
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium2
Geology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, College Green, Dublin 02, Ireland
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Lawrence M.E. Percival;
Lawrence M.E. Percival
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium3
Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Toni Schulz;
Toni Schulz
4
Department of Lithospheric Research, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Johan Vellekoop;
Johan Vellekoop
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium5
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Division Geology, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium6
Operational Directorate Earth and History of Life, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
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Steven Goderis;
Steven Goderis
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
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Kato Daems;
Kato Daems
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium7
Department of Electromobility Research Centre, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
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Yue Gao;
Yue Gao
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
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Martine Leermakers;
Martine Leermakers
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
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Alessandro Montanari;
Alessandro Montanari
8
Osservatorio Geologico di Coldigioco, Contrada Coldigioco 4, 62021 Apiro, Italy
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Rodolfo Coccioni;
Rodolfo Coccioni
9
Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, Italy
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Christian Koeberl;
Christian Koeberl
4
Department of Lithospheric Research, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Philippe Claeys
Philippe Claeys
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
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Matthias Sinnesael
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium2
Geology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, College Green, Dublin 02, Ireland
Lawrence M.E. Percival
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium3
Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands
Toni Schulz
4
Department of Lithospheric Research, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Johan Vellekoop
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium5
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Division Geology, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium6
Operational Directorate Earth and History of Life, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Steven Goderis
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Kato Daems
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium7
Department of Electromobility Research Centre, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Yue Gao
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Martine Leermakers
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Alessandro Montanari
8
Osservatorio Geologico di Coldigioco, Contrada Coldigioco 4, 62021 Apiro, Italy
Rodolfo Coccioni
9
Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, Italy
Christian Koeberl
4
Department of Lithospheric Research, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Philippe Claeys
1
Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry Research Group (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Publisher: Geological Society of America
Received:
16 Nov 2023
Revision Received:
16 Aug 2024
Accepted:
09 Sep 2024
First Online:
30 Sep 2024
Online ISSN: 1943-2674
Print ISSN: 0016-7606
© 2024 Geological Society of America
GSA Bulletin (2024)
Article history
Received:
16 Nov 2023
Revision Received:
16 Aug 2024
Accepted:
09 Sep 2024
First Online:
30 Sep 2024
Citation
Matthias Sinnesael, Lawrence M.E. Percival, Toni Schulz, Johan Vellekoop, Steven Goderis, Kato Daems, Yue Gao, Martine Leermakers, Alessandro Montanari, Rodolfo Coccioni, Christian Koeberl, Philippe Claeys; Deep marine records of Deccan Trap volcanism before the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) mass extinction. GSA Bulletin 2024; doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B37446.1
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