Glen Penfield played a key role in identifying the Chicxulub crater as a significant impact site associated with the mass extinction event that occurred around 66 million years ago, which is often linked to the extinction of the dinosaurs. His evidence for identifying the Chicxulub crater included a combination of geological and geophysical data:
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Geophysical Surveys: Penfield and his team conducted extensive geophysical surveys, particularly using gravity and magnetic data to map the features of the buried crater. These surveys helped to reveal the structure of the crater beneath the Yucatán Peninsula.
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Drilling Samples: The results of drilling experiments conducted later confirmed the existence of shocked quartz and other minerals indicative of high-energy impact events.
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Geological Context: Penfield's research examined the geological formations and stratigraphy around the Yucatán Peninsula, providing context for the impact-related materials and structures found in the area.
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Tectonic Features: The discovery of a circular structure consistent with the characteristics of a large impact feature, along with additional evidence of deformation in the surrounding rock layers, suggested that the structure was indeed a crater formed by an extraterrestrial object.
Overall, the combination of geophysical, geological, and mineralogical evidence provided strong support for the identification of the Chicxulub crater and its association with the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event.
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