Ar-40/Ar-39 dates from the West Siberian Basin: Siberian flood basalt province doubled

Reichow, M.K., Saunders, A.D., White, R.V., Pringle, M.S., Al'Mukhamedov, A.I., Medvedev, A.I. and Kirda, N.P. (2002) Ar-40/Ar-39 dates from the West Siberian Basin: Siberian flood basalt province doubled. Science, 296(5574), pp. 1846-1849. (doi: 10.1126/science.1071671)

Abstract

Widespread basaltic volcanism occurred in the region of the West Siberian Basin in central Russia during Permo-Triassic times. New Ar-40/Ar-39 age determinations on plagioclase grains from deep boreholes in the basin reveal that the basalts were erupted 249.4 +/- 0.5 million years ago. This is synchronous with the bulk of the Siberian Traps, erupted further east on the Siberian Platform. The age and geochemical data confirm that the West Siberian Basin basalts are part of the Siberian Traps and at least double the confirmed area of the volcanic province as a whole. The larger area of volcanism strengthens the link between the volcanism and the end-Permian mass extinction.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: UNSPECIFIED
• Authors: Reichow, M.K., Saunders, A.D., White, R.V., Pringle, M.S., Al'Mukhamedov, A.I., Medvedev, A.I., and Kirda, N.P.
• Subjects: Q Science > QE Geology
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
• Journal Name: Science
• Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science
• ISSN: 0036-8075
• ISSN (Online): 1095-9203
• Copyright Holders: © Copyright American Association Advancement Science
• First Published: First published in Science 296(5574):1846-1849
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher