Hg stratigraphy as a tracer of volcanism and biological crises in the cretaceous?paleogene transition

Abstract

Major geological chronostratigraphical boundaries are marked by dramatic changes in the geological record, including biological extinctions, sea-level fluctuations, and changes of the chemical composition of the atmosphere and of sedimentary rocks. Volcanism has been suggested as one of the primary causes of intense biological and geological crises, augmenting the interest in their research on geochemical proxies. This work reviews the use of mercury (Hg) as a tracer of volcanic activity and extreme environmental crises, with focus on the Cetaeous?Paleogee tasitio K/Pg, he ost of the plaet's dinosaurs perished. Understanding this issue deepens the understanding of the paleoenvironments in different periods of Earth's history and how volcanic processes relate to mass extinctions.