An Iridium Abundance Anomaly at the Palynological Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary in Northern New Mexico
Abstract
An iridium abundance anomaly, with concentrations up to 5000 parts per trillion over a background level of 4 to 20 parts per trillion, has been located in sedimentary rocks laid down under freshwater swamp conditions in the Raton Basin of northeastern New Mexico. The anomaly occurs at the base of a coal bed, at the same stratigraphic position at which several well-known species of Creataceous-age pollen became extinct.
- Publication:
-
Science
- Pub Date:
- December 1981
- DOI:
- 10.1126/science.214.4527.1341
- Bibcode:
- 1981Sci...214.1341O