Asteroid impact, not volcanism, caused the end-Cretaceous dinosaur extinction

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2006087117
• Publication Date: 2020-06-30T00:40:02Z
• Authors: Alfio Alessandro ...; Alexander Farnsworth; Philip D. Mannion; Daniel J. Lunt; Paul J. Valdes; Joanna V. Morgan; Peter A. Allison
• Keywords: Extinction (optical mineralogy); Habitability

Significance We present a quantitative test of end-Cretaceous extinction scenarios and how these would have affected dinosaur habitats. Combining climate ecological modeling tools, we demonstrate substantial detrimental effect on habitats caused by an impact winter scenario triggered the Chicxulub asteroid. were not able to obtain such state with several Deccan volcanism. further show that concomitant prolonged eruption traps might acted as ameliorating agent, buffering negative effects global ecosystems asteroid produced at Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary.