| [Thread Prev] | [Thread Next] | [Thread Index] | [Date Prev] | [Date Next] | [Date Index] |
>If the extinction of dinosaurs, etal, is due to an impact induced >imbalance
in
>the late Cretaceous environment, then the events took place during >a
shorter ti
>me interval than the resolution of stratigraphy.
This I think is very likely. What is the finest time interval that can be
detected to within acceptible error estimates? 10^3 years? 10^4 years? Even a
large impact such as the Cicxulub one would not have caused any long term
environmental effects lasting that long. Decades maybe. The biotic
consequences ( mass extinctions) would take less time to begin ( weeks or
months) after the environment was stressed but could last for much longer
periods on the levels that we are seeing them. But then you get into sampling
bias and the Signor-Lipps effect to further confuse things.
The evidence can >only be coinc
>idental. There has to be "reasonable guilt." For some what is >reasonable is
wha
>t is popular! What would be an "absolute proof?"I don't know!
Only the test of time and maybe another large impact (God forbid!) .
Regards,
Thomas R. Lipka
Paleontological/Geological Studies
Partial index: