2009/01/01 by Douglas J. Kennett, James P. Kennett, Allen West +6 · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Materials Science · Chemistry · Engineering · #Geological and Geochemical Analysis #Diamond and Carbon-based Materials Research #Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis #Younger Dryas #Geology #Sediment #Layer (electronics) #Boundary layer #Oceanography #Paleontology #Holocene #Chemistry #Engineering
paper · doi:10.1126/science.1162819
openalex publication_date 2009/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
We report abundant nanodiamonds in sediments dating to 12.9 +/- 0.1 thousand calendar years before the present at multiple locations across North America. Selected area electron diffraction patterns reveal two diamond allotropes in this boundary layer but not above or below that interval. Cubic diamonds form under high temperature-pressure regimes, and n-diamonds also require extraordinary conditions, well outside the range of Earth's typical surficial processes but common to cosmic impacts. N-diamond concentrations range from approximately 10 to 3700 parts per billion by weight, comparable to amounts found in known impact layers. These diamonds provide strong evidence for Earth's collision with a rare swarm of carbonaceous chondrites or comets at the onset of the Younger Dryas cool interval, producing multiple airbursts and possible surface impacts, with severe repercussions for plants, animals, and humans in North America.