Re: DINOSAUR DEATH & DIGITS

["Allan Edels" <Edels@email.msn.com>]

Brian, et al:

    My own view is that the majority of the dinosaurs were killed off within
the first few months.  It may have been a few years until ALL dinosaurs were
gone, but we can't really tell how much time there is between that last
fossil dino (excluding any reworked pieces) and the Iridium layer.  (See
Signor-Lipps Effect).

    Being a non-professional, my views on the extinction are based on
information gathered from magazines and books, websites, this list, and
personal discussions with those professionals that I do know.

    My personal view is that the bolide strike was the 'coup de grace' to
the dinosaurs.  (As I indicated in the most recent extinction thread, it
seems that the dinos were in one of their periodic declines - which they had
always bounced back from before, when the impact ocurred - and they were
unable to bounce back.  If the impact had ocurred 5 m.y. earlier, they might
have survived it, and likewise, if the impact had occured 10 m.y. later.

    It seems to me that *most* people (i.e. non-professionals) think that
the meteor or comet strike killed off all the dinos, with a few of us
believing that the bolide was just the straw that broke the ceratopsian's
back  [:-)].  There is a large enough group (probably 30%) of people who
believe the impact was meaningless (relatively speaking).

    Hope this is helpful,

        Allan Edels

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Franczak <franczak@ntplx.net>
To: dinosaur@usc.edu <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Date: Monday, November 16, 1998 4:44 PM
Subject: DINOSAUR DEATH & DIGITS


>In answer to my questions about the K-T strike, Dinogeorge@aol.com
>wrote:
>
>>> 1) Any estimates of the time between the impact and the time the      >>
iridium layer was created?>>
>>
>> A few hours, days, or weeks.
>>
>>> 2) How close to the iridium layer are dinosaur fossils found? >>
>>
>> Right up to it in the Deccan traps, according to Chatterjee, but never >
above it.
>
>So within a few hours, days, or weeks ALL DINOSAURS (yeah, yeah, and
>lotsa other things) were dead? ALL of them?
>
>And thanks to George and Dr. Holtz for answering my question about
>_Suchomimus_ digits. That's why I asked; the reproduction of the
>illustration in the newspaper was tiny (4 inches long and about 1.5
>inches tall), and it's printed on newsprint. Certainly not the best way
>to view such a detailed drawing. Thanks for the clarification guys!
>
>Brian (franczak@ntplx.net)
>http://www.paleolife-art.com
>