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The micrometeorite flux to Earth during the earliest Paleogene reconstructed in the Bottaccione section (Umbrian Apennines), Italy

Boschi, Samuele LU ; Schmitz, Birger LU ; Martin, Ellinor LU orcid and Terfelt, Fredrik LU (2020) In Meteoritics and Planetary Science 55(7). p.1615-1628
Abstract

Based on sediment-dispersed extraterrestrial spinel grains in the Bottaccione limestone section in Italy, we reconstructed the micrometeorite flux to Earth during the early Paleocene. From a total of 843 kg of limestone, 86 extraterrestrial spinel grains (12 grains > 63 μm, and 74 in the 32–63 μm fraction) have been recovered. Our results indicate that the micrometeorite flux was not elevated during the early Paleocene. Ordinary chondrites dominated over achondritic meteorites similar to the recent flux, but H chondrites dominated over L and LL chondrites (69%, 22%, and 9%, respectively). This H-chondrite dominance is similar to that recorded within an enigmatic 3He anomaly (70, 27, and 3%) in the Turonian, but different... (More)

Based on sediment-dispersed extraterrestrial spinel grains in the Bottaccione limestone section in Italy, we reconstructed the micrometeorite flux to Earth during the early Paleocene. From a total of 843 kg of limestone, 86 extraterrestrial spinel grains (12 grains > 63 μm, and 74 in the 32–63 μm fraction) have been recovered. Our results indicate that the micrometeorite flux was not elevated during the early Paleocene. Ordinary chondrites dominated over achondritic meteorites similar to the recent flux, but H chondrites dominated over L and LL chondrites (69%, 22%, and 9%, respectively). This H-chondrite dominance is similar to that recorded within an enigmatic 3He anomaly (70, 27, and 3%) in the Turonian, but different from just before this 3He anomaly and in the early Cretaceous, where ratios are similar to the recent flux (~45%, 45%, and 10%). The K-Ar isotopic ages of recently fallen H chondrites indicate a small impact event on the H-chondrite parent body ~50 to 100 Ma ago. We tentatively suggest that this event is recorded by the Turonian 3He anomaly, resulting in an H-chondrite dominance up to the Paleocene. Our sample spanning the 20 cm above the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary did not yield any spinel grains related to the K–Pg boundary impactor.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Meteoritics and Planetary Science
volume
55
issue
7
pages
14 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85087133643
ISSN
1086-9379
DOI
10.1111/maps.13539
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
625baf21-8233-4fff-93c7-5e9d7ca97e59
date added to LUP
2021-01-12 14:00:07
date last changed
2024-03-05 18:29:56
@article{625baf21-8233-4fff-93c7-5e9d7ca97e59,
  abstract     = {{<p>Based on sediment-dispersed extraterrestrial spinel grains in the Bottaccione limestone section in Italy, we reconstructed the micrometeorite flux to Earth during the early Paleocene. From a total of 843 kg of limestone, 86 extraterrestrial spinel grains (12 grains &gt; 63 μm, and 74 in the 32–63 μm fraction) have been recovered. Our results indicate that the micrometeorite flux was not elevated during the early Paleocene. Ordinary chondrites dominated over achondritic meteorites similar to the recent flux, but H chondrites dominated over L and LL chondrites (69%, 22%, and 9%, respectively). This H-chondrite dominance is similar to that recorded within an enigmatic <sup>3</sup>He anomaly (70, 27, and 3%) in the Turonian, but different from just before this <sup>3</sup>He anomaly and in the early Cretaceous, where ratios are similar to the recent flux (~45%, 45%, and 10%). The K-Ar isotopic ages of recently fallen H chondrites indicate a small impact event on the H-chondrite parent body ~50 to 100 Ma ago. We tentatively suggest that this event is recorded by the Turonian <sup>3</sup>He anomaly, resulting in an H-chondrite dominance up to the Paleocene. Our sample spanning the 20 cm above the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary did not yield any spinel grains related to the K–Pg boundary impactor.</p>}},
  author       = {{Boschi, Samuele and Schmitz, Birger and Martin, Ellinor and Terfelt, Fredrik}},
  issn         = {{1086-9379}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{1615--1628}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Meteoritics and Planetary Science}},
  title        = {{The micrometeorite flux to Earth during the earliest Paleogene reconstructed in the Bottaccione section (Umbrian Apennines), Italy}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/maps.13539}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/maps.13539}},
  volume       = {{55}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}