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A 12,800-year-old layer with cometary dust, microspherules, and platinum anomaly recorded in multiple cores from Baffin Bay

Title	A 12,800-year-old layer with cometary dust, microspherules, and platinum anomaly recorded in multiple cores from Baffin Bay
Authors	Christopher R. Moore, Vladimir A. Tselmovich, Malcolm A. LeCompte, Allen West, Stephen J. Culver, David J. Mallinson, Mohammed Baalousha, James P. Kennett, William M. Napier, Michael Bizimis, Victor Adedeji, Seth R. Sutton, Gunther Kletetschka, Kurt A. Langworthy, Jesus P. Perez, Timothy Witwer, Marc D. Young, Mahbub Alam, Jordan Jeffreys, Richard C. Greenwood, James A. Malley
Magazine	PLOS One
Date	08/06/2025
DOI	10.1371/journal.pone.0328347
Introduction	The Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis proposes that approximately 12,800 years ago, Earth interacted with a disintegrating comet's debris, leading to widespread atmospheric events, dust accumulation, and the formation of unique extraterrestrial impact indicators at the Younger Dryas Boundary (YDB). Prior supporting data for this hypothesis originated solely from terrestrial sediment and ice-core analyses. This study presents the initial documentation of comparable impact-related indicators within ocean sediments from four marine cores in Baffin Bay. These cores encompass the YDB layer at depths between 0.5 and 2.4 km, thereby reducing the chance of recent interference. Through scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and laser ablation ICP-MS, simultaneous peaks in metallic debris, chemically aligned with cometary dust, are observed. These occur alongside iron- and silica-rich microspherules (4–163 µm), primarily terrestrial with minor (<2 wt%) extraterrestrial content. These microspherules likely resulted from low-altitude airbursts and surface impacts by comet fragments, leading to their broad dispersal. Furthermore, single-particle ICP-TOF-MS analysis indicates the presence of nanoparticles (<1 µm) enriched in platinum, iridium, nickel, and cobalt. Platinum-group element anomalies at the YDB, consistent with an extraterrestrial origin, have been reported globally. These collective observations strongly corroborate the YDIH. The impact event probably initiated substantial meltwater influx, iceberg separation, and a temporary cessation of thermohaline circulation, contributing to the abrupt Younger Dryas cooling. Pinpointing a YDB impact layer in deep marine sediments highlights the value of oceanic records for enhancing our comprehension of this major event and its climatic consequences.
Quote	Christopher R. Moore, Vladimir A. Tselmovich and Malcolm A. LeCompte et al. A 12,800-year-old layer containing cometary dust, microspherules, and a platinum anomaly recorded in multiple cores from Baffin Bay. PLoS ONE. 2025. Vol. 20(8). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0328347
Element	Platinum (Pt) , Iridium (Ir) , Nickel (Ni) , Cobalt (Co) , Silicon (Si)
Materials	Metals and Alloys
Industry	Research & Laboratory

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