Nanoparticles of iridium and other platinum group elements identified in Chicxulub asteroid impact spherules – Implications for impact winter and profound climate change

The Chicxulub asteroid that ended the Cretaceous Era ∼66.05 million years ago caused a prolonged time of global darkness – the impact winter – leading to mass extinctions. Elements from the asteroid, including the platinum group elements (PGEs) osmium, iridium and platinum are known from the globally distributed boundary clay but their carrier elements have so far been unknown. We identify, for the first time in detail, the presence of these PGEs within Chicxulub impact spherules and importantly, we identify their carrier elements. We show through synchrotron Nano-XRF how these PGEs occur in nanostructures as un-ordered cube- and/or needle-like crystals co-localizing with both siderophile and chalcophile elements including Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb, derived from the asteroid. These crystals are set within a matrix of iron-rich calcium and silica glass revealing the mix of vaporized target rock and the asteroid. The results provide insights into the combination of elements present in the spherules, indicating formation of new minerals. We argue that the nano-shards of unreactive elements such as platinum, iridium and copper acted as nuclei for aerosol formation and potentially contributed to a prolonged impact winter with darkness and cooling leading to a profound and long-term climate change. • Platinum group elements (PGEs) within Chicxulub impact spherules are identified by synchrotron Nano-XRF. • Iridium, osmium and platinum occur as nanostructures of unordered crystals. • PGEs co-localizes with siderophile and chalcophile elements (Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb). • New mineral phases were formed during the impact process. • These nanoparticles acted as nuclei for aerosol formation, prolonging the impact winter and affecting climate.