Nicolas Sebastian Balabbo

201810677

Evidence for the Impact Event

There are several lines of evidence now to show that 65 My ago a very significant impact existed.

1. At several points around the planet, the iridium abundance in the 65 My-old soil layer was confirmed.

2. The same surface layer comprises quartz grains that, as will happen in a giant earthquake, have been
deformed by strong shock pressures. (The deformation in the crystals is a microscopic structure called
"twinning").

3. The same layer of soil produces enough soot to equal the burning of all the world's trees. This
indicates that, at the time of impact, major fires were touched off.

4. The same soil layer produces substantial deposits of tumbled boulders, particularly around the Gulf of
Mexico, as would be formed in a major tsunami, or "tidal wave." The geographical distribution of tsunami
deposits suggests that the effect was in the Caribbean region.

5. In 1990, scientists found the crater associated with this substance after a decade of searching. On the
top of the Earth, it is no longer visible, nor buried under sediments. It straddles the Yucatan peninsula. It
is seen by mapping over that region the power of the gravity field, and by drilling; it has been dated to 65
My old.

5. Several asteroids crossing the orbit of Earth have been mapped by astronomers. It is determined from
analyses of orbit statistics that asteroids of 10 km scale will strike the earth approximately every 100 My
or so — which coincides with the notion that an object of this scale reportedly strike us 65 My ago. (Much
more popular are smaller hits).

Reference: https://www.psi.edu/epo/ktimpact/ktimpact.html

Evidence of Fault
(i) The strike and the dip of the fault are both parallel to the strike and the dip of the strata of the
bedding fault.

(ii) In the case of a strike fault, the strike of the fault is parallel to the strike of the strata, but the dip
of the fault slices through the dip of the strata.

(iii) In the case of a dip fault, the strike of the fault is perpendicular to the strike of the strata.

(iv) In the case of an oblique fault, the strike of the fault is oblique, creating a distinct acute angle as
the strata are struck.

The line of rotation in the bedding fault is the bedding line of the strata. As a consequence, the
displacement can be in any direction of the plane. Strata which preserve their cohesion and
parallelism, but which can be identified by striations by offset joints or dikes, are not seen.

Strike faults indicate a recurrence of the strata or a gap in the cross section, depending on the manner
in which the plunge of the fault slices through the plunge of the strata and on the normal or reverse
form of the fault.

Dip faults cut the strata through their strike and offset them on one side of the other. The apparent
displacement is a horizontal displacement, although it can be caused by a vertical shift over inclined
beds.
Oblique faults mimic the results of strike faults or dip faults, based on whether they strike more
closely parallel or perpendicular to the strata.

Reference:
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/geology/faults-meaning-classification-and-importance-geology/9
1572?fbclid=IwAR1F0y9XeBB-4bsIQQPAJXgsz-OnMaUfkkgSX13xifS7nm3REKyR2xA-wCc