Last month, in the February 2024 issue of the Kosmographia Newsletter I reported on new research correlating a series of large-scale igneous events which produced the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) and the Siberian Traps with mass extinction episodes. On February 8 another paper was published in the journal Global and Planetary Change which further supports correlations between mass extinction episodes with gigantic volcanic eruptions and catastrophic cosmic impacts. The lead author of the paper is Michael Rampino, who has for decades been in the forefront of researching catastrophic events in Earth history. I have been following his work since the early 1980s and hold him in high regard as a scientist who is willing to think outside established paradigms of Earth history. The abstract to the paper begins:

"We find that Large Igneous Province (LIP) volcanism, mostly continental flood basalts (CFBs), along with the largest extraterrestrial impacts show significant correlations with mass-extinction events in the Phanerozoic geologic record. The ages of the 6 major marine mass extinctions (≥ 40% extinction of genera) of the last 541 MY ̶ the end-Ordovician (~444 Ma), late Devonian (~ 372 Ma), end-Guadalupian (~259 Ma), end-Permian (~ 252 Ma), end-Triassic (~201 Ma), and end-Cretaceous (66 Ma) extinctions are significantly correlated with high-quality U — Pb zircon and 40Ar/39Ar ages of 6 continental flood basalts (CFBs) ̶ the Cape St. Mary's, Viluy, Emeishan, Siberian, CAMP, and the Deccan Basalts.

U — Pb zircon dating (Uranium-lead) is a widely used method for dating metamorphic rocks typically employing a thermal ionization mass spectrometer. Zircon is used because it includes uranium and thorium atoms in its crystalline structure when forming but rejects lead, so any lead found in a zircon crystal is radiogenic, meaning it results from radioactive decay. Argon dating can measure Argon isotopes from a single mineral grain. The ratio of Argon 40 to Argon 39 yields the age of the sample.

The extinctions listed above are considered to be major events in the history of life on Earth. A number of less severe extinctions have taken place, although these events are somewhat more difficult to discern in the geologic/palaeontologic record. Nevertheless, a correlation can be discerned between these extinctions and both volcanic eruptions and cosmic impact.

A very strong magnitude 6.7 earthquake occurred under the sea 462 km (287 mi) from Australia in the early morning of Monday, Mar 4, 2024 at 3.16 am local time (GMT +11). The quake had a very shallow depth of 10 km (6 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so).

EARTHQUAKE DETAILS

Date & time Mar 3, 2024 16:16:51 UTC
Local time at epicenter Monday, Mar 4, 2024, at 03:16 am (GMT +11)
Status Confirmed
Magnitude 6.7
Depth 10.0 km
Epicenter latitude / longitude 58.9042°S / 159.1636°E Australia

A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the East Pacific Rise (February 22) morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The natural disaster was located in the southern portion of the mid-ocean rise and centered at a depth of 2.0 kilometers (1.24 miles). The East Pacific Rise, which runs through the Gulf of California in the Salton Sea basin, is located along the floor of the Pacific Ocean and separates the Pacific Plate west from several other plates.

Last week, a 3.8-magnitude earthquake struck California. The natural disaster was located in Ontario and centered at a depth of 13.0 kilometers (about 8.08 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey.

A very strong magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred under the sea 163 km (101 mi) from Micronesia Wed, Feb 14, 2024 11:40 GMT.

The quake had a very shallow depth of 10 km (6 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so).

No significant damage or impact is expected from this quake and no particular alert was issued.

EARTHQUAKE DETAILS

Date & time Feb 14, 2024 11:40:21 UTC
Local time at epicenter Wednesday, Feb 14, 2024, at 11:40 am (universal GMT +0)
Status Confirmed
Magnitude 6.0
Depth 10.0 km

A magnitude-6.0 earthquake occurred just offshore of far southern Atacama Region at around 22:31 Feb. 13. The epicenter was about 83 km (52 miles) west-southwest of Vallenar, Chile.

The tremor occurred at a depth of about 22 km (14 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout parts of southern and central Atacama and northern and central Coquimbo regions in Chile and northwestern San Juan Province in Argentina.

There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake, and significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas.

Aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

A very strong magnitude 6.1 earthquake occurred under the sea 278 km (173 mi) from The Northern Mariana Islands in the evening of Monday, Feb 12, 2024 at 9.19 pm local time (GMT +10). The quake had a moderate depth of 250 km (155 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so).

Date & time Feb 12, 2024 11:19:36 UTC
Local time at epicenter Monday, Feb 12, 2024, at 09:19 pm (GMT +10)
Status Confirmed
Magnitude 6.1

6.1 magnitude earthquake

UTC time: Friday, February 09, 2024 10:57 AM
Your time: Friday, February 9, 2024 at 10:57 AM GMT
Magnitude Type: mww
USGS page: M 6.1 - Kermadec Islands, New Zealand
USGS status: Reviewed by a seismologist
Reports from the public: 0 people

10 km depth

A 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook an area near Oklahoma City late Friday night, followed by smaller quakes during the next several hours, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The earthquake struck at 11:24 p.m. and was centered 8 kilometers (5 miles) northwest of Prague, Oklahoma, about 57 miles (92 kilometers) east of Oklahoma City, the agency said.

Residents across the state from Lawton to Enid to Tulsa reported feeling the shaking to the U.S.G.S.

The initial earthquake was followed by at least eight smaller temblors through Saturday morning, ranging in strength from magnitude 2.5 to 3.4, according to the geological survey.

A magnitude-6.5 earthquake occurred in Acre State, Brazil, at around 05:38 Jan. 28. The epicenter was about 66 km (41 miles) west-southwest of Tarauaca, Brazil.

The tremor occurred at a depth of about 609 km (378 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout western Acre and far southwestern Amazonas states in Brazil, far eastern Ucayali and far northern Madre de Dios regions in Peru.

There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas.

Aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit the southern Pacific coast of Guatemala late on Friday, causing some residents to flee their homes and resulting in early reports of damage to buildings.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the earthquake, which was also felt in El Salvador.

Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries immediately after the quake, which occurred just past midnight while many people were asleep.

Officials in El Salvador described the earthquake as "strong" and said they were closely monitoring the situation.