Search for impact remains at the Frasnian–Famennian boundary in the stratotype area, southern France

• Published in: Palaeogeography, palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology Vol. 132; no. 1; pp. 391 - 397
• Main Authors: Girard, Catherine, Robin, Eric, Rocchia, Robert, Froget, Laurence, Feist, Raimund
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-08-1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological Evolution; Conodonta; Continental interfaces, environment; Earth (Planet); Evolution, Planetary; Famennian; Fossils; France; Frasnian; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Iridium; Marine; Montagne Noire; Nickel; Ocean, Atmosphere; Palmatolepis triangularis; Sciences of the Universe; Space life sciences; Upper Devonian; France; iridium; Frasnian; Montagne Noire; Famennian; Upper Devonian
• ISSN: 0031-0182; 1872-616X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0031-0182(97)00049-7

In order to detect whether the end-Frasnian worldwide biotic crisis is related to an extraterrestrial impact, the global stratotype section of the Frasnian–Famennian boundary and auxiliary sections within the stratotype area have been examined for impact indicators: iridium, Ni-rich spinel bearing spherules and glassy microtektites. This area is particularly well suited to the search for discrete events because it exhibits biostratigraphically continuous sections of sedimentologically homogenous off-shore deposits. Different environmental settings on oxygenated deep-water seamounts, such as the stratotype section at Coumiac, and in oxygen-depleted depressions (La Serre section) are available. The latter is investigated in more detail because it is the least condensed across the boundary, which is determined by the first occurrence of the typical morphotype of
Palmatolepis triangularis, the indicator of the first Famennian conodont biozone. Samples from the biostratigraphically defined boundary and adjacent levels failed to provide significantly high Ir values and no Ni-rich spinel or microtektite has been recovered. This is in contradiction with the results of earlier investigations carried out by H. Geldsetzer on the same section. In contrast, the values of Ir concentrations that we measured are always very low or not detectable. The small overabundances observed in some samples, which are about two orders of magnitude lower than what is currently observed at the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary, are probably due to the accumulation of the normal flux of cosmic dust during periods of relatively low depositional rates or to a terrestrial origin. At present, we have no evidence that an extraterrestrial impact occurred at the F–F transition.