Bolide impact effects on the West Florida Platform, Gulf of Mexico: End Cretaceous and late Eocene

This study documents seismic reflection evidence that two different bolide impacts significantly disrupted stratigraphic and depositional processes on the West Florida Platform (Gulf of Mexico). The first impact terminated Late Cretaceous Epoch (Chicxulub impact, Mexico; ca. 66 Ma; end-Maastrichtian age). second took place in late Eocene (Chesapeake Bay Virginia, USA, portion Chesapeake Bay; 35 Priabonian Both produced far-reaching shaking ground roll followed by an impact-generated tsunami, effects which are evident seismostratigraphic record. Chicxulub caused collapse shoreward retreat Escarpment widely (faulting, folding, slumping) normal flat-lying shelf beds. associated tsunami currents redistributed these deposits mixed them together with debris from escarpment to form a thick wedge sediments along base escarpment. created mounded sedimentary deposit near outer edge ramp slope. also has bipartite origin. A lower layer is marked en echelon faulting situ shaking, whereas upper represents slope tsunami-driven bottom (debris flows, contour currents, slumps). report Gulf Mexico. These results further demonstrate large-scale marine have widespread record Earth.