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The Manson Impact Structure: 40Ar/39Ar age and its distal impact ejecta in the Pierre Shale in southeastern South Dakota

June 2, 1993

The 40Ar/39Ar ages of a sanidine clast from a melt-matrix breccia of the Manson, Iowa, impact structure (MIS) indicate that the MIS formed 73.8 ± 0.3 million years ago (Ma) and is not coincident with the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary (64.43 ± 0.05 Ma). The MIS sanidine is 9 million years older than 40Ar/39Ar age spectra of MIS shock-metamorphosed microcline and melt-matrix breccia interpreted earlier to be 64 to 65 Ma. Grains of shock-metamorphosed quartz, feldspar, and zircon were found in the Crow Creek Member (upper Campanian) at a biostratigraphic level constrained by radiometric ages in the Pierre Shale of South Dakota that are consistent with the 40Ar/39Ar age of 73.8 ± 0.3 Ma for MIS reported herein.

Publication Year 1993
Title The Manson Impact Structure: 40Ar/39Ar age and its distal impact ejecta in the Pierre Shale in southeastern South Dakota
DOI 10.1126/science.262.5134.729
Authors G. A. Izett, W. A. Cobban, J. Obradovich, Michael J. Kunk
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Science
Index ID 70210407
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Eastern Geology and Paleoclimate Science Center