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Science 8 September 1995:
Vol. 269. no. 5229, pp. 1413 - 1416
DOI: 10.1126/science.269.5229.1413
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Articles

Synchrony and Causal Relations Between Permian-Triassic Boundary Crises and Siberian Flood Volcanism

Paul R. Renne 1, Michael T. Black 1, Zhang Zichao 2, Mark A. Richards 3, and Asish R. Basu 4

1 Berkeley Geochronology Center, 2455 Ridge Road, Berkeley, CA 94709, USA.
2 Yichang Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, Post Office Box 502, Yichang 443003, People's Republic of China
3 Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
4 Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.

The Permian-Triassic boundary records the most severe mass extinctions in Earth's history. Siberian flood volcanism, the most profuse known such subaerial event, produced 2 million to 3 million cubic kilometers of volcanic ejecta in approximately 1 million years or less. Analysis of 40Ar/39Ar data from two tuffs in southern China yielded a date of 250.0 ± 0.2 million years ago for the Permian-Triassic boundary, which is comparable to the inception of main stage Siberian flood volcanism at 250.0 ± 0.3 million years ago. Volcanogenic sulfate aerosols and the dynamic effects of the Siberian plume likely contributed to environmental extrema that led to the mass extinctions.

Submitted on May 23, 1995
Accepted on July 12, 1995


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