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Precise radiometric age establishes Yarrabubba, Western Australia, as Earth’s oldest recognised meteorite impact structure

Author

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  • Timmons M. Erickson

    (NASA Johnson Space Center
    Curtin University
    Universities Space Research Association)

  • Christopher L. Kirkland

    (Curtin University)

  • Nicholas E. Timms

    (Curtin University)

  • Aaron J. Cavosie

    (Curtin University)

  • Thomas M. Davison

    (Imperial College London)

Abstract

The ~70 km-diameter Yarrabubba impact structure in Western Australia is regarded as among Earth’s oldest, but has hitherto lacked precise age constraints. Here we present U–Pb ages for impact-driven shock-recrystallised accessory minerals. Shock-recrystallised monazite yields a precise impact age of 2229 ± 5 Ma, coeval with shock-reset zircon. This result establishes Yarrabubba as the oldest recognised meteorite impact structure on Earth, extending the terrestrial cratering record back >200 million years. The age of Yarrabubba coincides, within uncertainty, with temporal constraint for the youngest Palaeoproterozoic glacial deposits, the Rietfontein diamictite in South Africa. Numerical impact simulations indicate that a 70 km-diameter crater into a continental glacier could release between 8.7 × 1013 to 5.0 × 1015 kg of H2O vapour instantaneously into the atmosphere. These results provide new estimates of impact-produced H2O vapour abundances for models investigating termination of the Paleoproterozoic glaciations, and highlight the possible role of impact cratering in modifying Earth’s climate.

Suggested Citation

  • Timmons M. Erickson & Christopher L. Kirkland & Nicholas E. Timms & Aaron J. Cavosie & Thomas M. Davison, 2020. "Precise radiometric age establishes Yarrabubba, Western Australia, as Earth’s oldest recognised meteorite impact structure," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-13985-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13985-7
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