Accretion of extraterrestrial matter during the last 80 million years and its effect on the marine osmium isotope record

Abstract

The flux of particulate extraterrestrial (ET) matter to the deep-sea has been calculated using a four-component mixing model based on osmium concentrations and isotope ratios in slowly accumulating pelagic sediments from the Pacific Ocean. Nineteen published bulk-leach osmium isotope data pairs that cover the last 80 million years have been used for the calculation. The calculated annual particulate flux, averaged over several 100 ka by slow accumulation and bioturbation, ranges from ∼18,000 to ∼67,000 tons, with a mean value of ∼37,000 ± 13,000 tons. The data indicate no significant variability in the flux with time, except at the K-T boundary and are thus compatible with results based on Ir accumulation in deep-sea sediments. The inferred constancy of the ET matter flux is in contrast to recent results based on the ET 3He flux that integrates only a small size fraction of the entire ET matter flux. 3He data indicate variability by a factor of 6 over the past 70 Ma and a fivefold increase in the ET flux between 3 Ma and 1 Ma that is not seen in the bulk ET matter flux based on osmium isotope data.The apparent constancy of the cosmic matter flux over the past 80 Ma stands in marked contrast to the dynamic nature of the marine osmium isotope record and indicates that dissolution of cosmic matter does not drive changes in this record, except at the K-T boundary. A comparison between osmium isotope and Ir data from two pelagic sediment cores from the Pacific (DSDP Site 596 and LL44-GPC3) indicates that the seawater-soluble fraction of ET Os cannot exceed ∼36 kg/a and most likely is significantly smaller. The maximum value of 36 kg/a can account for approximately one half of the seawater-soluble ET matter flux necessary to balance the radiogenic continental runoff of Os without any additional unradiogenic source. Simple mass balance calculations indicate that an additional unradiogenic source of Os to the oceans, most likely alteration of oceanic crust, is required to balance the present-day seawater osmium-isotopic composition. This source is probably more important in balancing radiogenic continental runoff than is dissolution of cosmic matter in seawater.