Publication Abstracts
Rampino and Caldeira 1993
Rampino, M.R., and K. Caldeira, 1993: Major episodes of geologic change: Correlations, time structure and possible causes. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 114, 215-227, doi:10.1016/0012-821X(93)90026-6.
Published data sets of major geologic events of the past ∼250 Myr (extinction events, sea-level lows, continental flood-basalt eruptions, mountain-building events, abrupt changes in sea-floor spreading, ocean-anoxic and blackshale events and the largest evaporite deposits) have been synthesized (with estimated errors). These events show evidence for a statistically significant periodic component with an underlying periodicity, formally equal to 26.6 Myr, and a recent maximum, close to the present time. The cycle may not be strictly periodic, but a periodicity of ∼30 Myr is robust to probable errors in dating of the geologic events. The intervals of geologic change seem to involve jumps in sea-floor spreading associated with episodic continental rifting, volcanism, enhanced orogeny, global sea-level changes and fluctuations in climate. The period may represent a purely internal earth-pulsation, but evidence of planetesimal impacts at several extinction boundaries, and a possible underlying cycle of 28-36 Myr in crater ages, suggests that highly energetic impacts may be affecting global tectonics. A cyclic increase in the flux of planetesimals might result from the passage of the Solar System through the central plane of the Milky Way Galaxy — an event with a periodicity and mean phasing similar to that detected in the geologic changes.
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BibTeX Citation
@article{ra02400t,
author={Rampino, M. R. and Caldeira, K.},
title={Major episodes of geologic change: Correlations, time structure and possible causes},
year={1993},
journal={Earth and Planetary Science Letters},
volume={114},
pages={215--227},
doi={10.1016/0012-821X(93)90026-6},
}
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RIS Citation
TY - JOUR ID - ra02400t AU - Rampino, M. R. AU - Caldeira, K. PY - 1993 TI - Major episodes of geologic change: Correlations, time structure and possible causes JA - Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. JO - Earth and Planetary Science Letters VL - 114 SP - 215 EP - 227 DO - 10.1016/0012-821X(93)90026-6 ER -
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