Chicxulub crater: a possible Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary impact crater on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

A. R. Hildebrand; Glen T. Penfield; David A. Kring; M. Pilkington; Camargo Z. Antonio; William V. Boynton

doi:10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<0867:CCAPCT>2.3.CO;2

Chicxulub crater: a possible Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary impact crater on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

A. R. Hildebrand
, Glen T. Penfield
, David A. Kring
, M. Pilkington
, Camargo Z. Antonio
, William V. Boynton

Lunar and Planetary Lab

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

889 Scopus citations

Abstract

We suggest that a buried 180km-diameter circular structure on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, is an impact crater. Its size and shape are revealed by magnetic and gravity-field anomalies, as well as by oil wells drilled inside and near the structure. The stratigraphy of the crater includes a sequence of andesitic igneous rocks and glass interbedded with, and overlain by, breccias that contain evidence of shock metamorphism. The andesitic rocks have chemical and isotopic compositions similar to those of tektites found in Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) ejects. A 90m-thick K/T boundary breccia, also containing evidence of shock metamorphism, is present 50km outside the crater's edge. -from Authors

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	867-871
Number of pages	5
Journal	Geology
Volume	19
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<0867:CCAPCT>2.3.CO;2
State	Published - Jan 1 1991

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geology

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10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<0867:CCAPCT>2.3.CO;2

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title = "Chicxulub crater: a possible Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary impact crater on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico",

abstract = "We suggest that a buried 180km-diameter circular structure on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, is an impact crater. Its size and shape are revealed by magnetic and gravity-field anomalies, as well as by oil wells drilled inside and near the structure. The stratigraphy of the crater includes a sequence of andesitic igneous rocks and glass interbedded with, and overlain by, breccias that contain evidence of shock metamorphism. The andesitic rocks have chemical and isotopic compositions similar to those of tektites found in Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) ejects. A 90m-thick K/T boundary breccia, also containing evidence of shock metamorphism, is present 50km outside the crater's edge. -from Authors",

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doi = "10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<0867:CCAPCT>2.3.CO;2",

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T2 - a possible Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary impact crater on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

AU - Hildebrand, A. R.

AU - Penfield, Glen T.

AU - Kring, David A.

AU - Pilkington, M.

AU - Antonio, Camargo Z.

AU - Boynton, William V.

PY - 1991/1/1

Y1 - 1991/1/1

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AB - We suggest that a buried 180km-diameter circular structure on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, is an impact crater. Its size and shape are revealed by magnetic and gravity-field anomalies, as well as by oil wells drilled inside and near the structure. The stratigraphy of the crater includes a sequence of andesitic igneous rocks and glass interbedded with, and overlain by, breccias that contain evidence of shock metamorphism. The andesitic rocks have chemical and isotopic compositions similar to those of tektites found in Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) ejects. A 90m-thick K/T boundary breccia, also containing evidence of shock metamorphism, is present 50km outside the crater's edge. -from Authors

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Chicxulub crater: a possible Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary impact crater on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Abstract

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