A groundbreaking discovery is being made in the field of paleontology and planetary science as a recent study in the journal Nature Geoscience suggests that the fearsome dinosaurs, those majestic creatures of ancient Earth, may have succumbed to their fate due to the cosmic dust veil.
For decades, the scientific community has recognized the cataclysmic impact of a colossal asteroid on the Yucatán Peninsula some 66 million years ago. This seismic event, which is believed to have caused a mass extinction, indiscriminately wiped out roughly three-quarters of Earth’s species, including the majestic dinosaurs that once ruled our planet.
Cataclysmic impact and mass extinction
The consequences of this cataclysmic phenomenon remain shrouded in uncertainty, with the focus of attention often focused on the enigmatic “shock winter” – a period marked by pervasive cold and global darkness. In 1980 he witnessed a theory suggesting that the asteroid kicked up a voluminous cloud of crushed rock dust, effectively depriving plant life of vital sunlight. Recent research, however, has focused on the impact of the light-blocking soot generated during the initial impact, the global wildfires that followed, and the long-lasting sulfur aerosols released by the cataclysmic event.
Investigation of the “Shock Winter” hypothesis.
Deciphering the precise mechanisms behind this solar blockade and its temporal extent is of utmost importance, since it significantly shaped the course of the evolution of life on Earth.
A prolonged period of darkness, disabling the process of plant photosynthesis, could cause the collapse of the entire food chain. Understanding how life has adapted and, in some cases, persisted amid such extreme climate change has the potential to shed light on the specter of future extinctions.
A new research approach
In search of clarity, a new research venture combines computer simulations with in-depth analysis of sediment layers at the Tanis paleontological site – a site that meticulously preserves the aftermath of the Chicxulub impact. The findings reveal a startling discovery: a colossal mantle of fine-grained dust enveloped the planet and remained in the atmosphere for an incredible 15 years. This prolonged twilight threw an ice sheet over the Earth, dropping temperatures by an incredible 60 degrees and halting the process of photosynthesis for an agonizing two-year interval.
Cem Berk Senel, a prominent planetary scientist at the Royal Observatory in Belgium, who led the study, stressed: “The persistence of this dust in disrupting photosynthesis for so long is a dire scenario. It could potentially trigger a cascading chain reaction of extinction that reverberates throughout Earth’s intricate food webs.” chain.”
The role of fine dust particles in solar blocking
Numerous scientific teams have worked diligently to model the effects of the Chicxulub impact. This new study stands out because it relies on data collected from the Tanis site in modern-day North Dakota, a site unveiled to the world in 2019. Unprecedented in its detail, Tanis captures the immediate aftermath of the impact, even allowing scientists to discern the specific season during which dinosaurs met their end – a touching moment in the late Cretaceous, reminiscent of a spring day.
Senel’s research team has made a compelling discovery that raises the importance of the fine dust grains discovered at the Tanis site. Incredibly similar in size to microscopic bacteria, these dust particles occupy a size range that ensures their persistence in the atmosphere for a remarkable 15 years. This finding implies that dust particles played a more crucial role in preventing sunlight from reaching the Earth’s surface than soot particles or sulfur aerosols.
Clay Tabor, a distinguished assistant professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Connecticut, expressed his admiration for this groundbreaking study, calling it “fascinating.” In 2020, Tabor wrote an article in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, arguing that soot from widespread wildfires served as the primary catalyst for shutting down photosynthesis. Newly discovered insights into the dimensions of dust particles have the potential to improve post-impact climate simulations, according to Tabor. According to the model used by the researchers, the dust grains they dug up could have persisted in the atmosphere for longer periods of time, contributing to a deeper reduction in surface sunlight compared to other light-blocking agents.
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Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: newstars.edu.vn