Chicxulub Impact, Yucatan Carbonate Platform, Cretaceous-Paleogene Boundary and Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

Abstract:

Chicxulub formed 66 Ma ago by an asteroid impact on the Yucatan carbonate platform, southern Gulf of Mexico. Impact produced a 200 km diameter crater, platform fracturing, deformation and ejecta emplacement. Carbonate sedimentation restarted and crater was covered by up to 1 km of sediments. Drilling programs have sampled the Paleogene sediments, which record the changing sedimentation processes in the impact basin and platform. Here, results of a study of the Paleocene-Eocene sediments cored in the Santa Elena borehole are used to characterize the K/Pg and PETM. The borehole reached a depth of 504 m and was continuously cored, sampling the post-impact sediments and impact breccias, with contact at 332 m. For this study, we analyzed the section from ~230 to ~340 m, corresponding to the upper breccias and Paleocene-Eocene sediments. The lithological column, constructed from macroscopic and thin-section petrographic analyses, is composed of limestones and dolomitized limestones with several thin clay layers. Breccias are melt and basement clast rich, described as a suevitic unit. Section is further investigated using paleomagnetic, rock magnetic, X-ray fluorescence geochemical and stable isotope analyses. Magnetic polarities define a sequence of reverse to normal, which correlate to the geomagnetic polarity time scale from chrons 29r to 26r. The d¹³ C values in the first 20 m interval range from 1.2 to 3.5 %₀ and d¹⁸ O values range from -1.4 to -4.8 %_0. Isotope values show variation trends that correlate with the marine carbon and oxygen isotope patterns for the K-Pg boundary and early Paleocene. Positive carbon isotopes suggest relatively high productivity, with apparent recovery following the K-Pg extinction event. Geochemical data define characteristic trends, with Si decreasing gradually from high values in the suevites, low contents in Paleocene sediments with intervals of higher variability and then increased values likely marking the PETM. Variation trends are similar in other elements like Fe, Ti, K and Al, recording changing conditions in the platform. Ca shows the opposite trend, with low values in the suevites, higher values in Paleocene carbonates and lower values at PETM. Variations are interpreted in terms of the impact, hydrothermal activity, platform carbonate deposition and the PETM.