Annihilation of ecosystems by large asteroid impacts on the early Earth

Sleep, Norman H.; Zahnle, Kevin J.; Kasting, James F.; Morowitz, Harold J.

doi:10.1038/342139a0

Cited by 574Paleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsAstro and Planetary ScienceOrigins and Evolution of Life

Annihilation of ecosystems by large asteroid impacts on the early Earth

Sleep, Norman H., Zahnle, Kevin J., Kasting, James F., Morowitz, Harold J.·1989·Nature

DOI 10.1038/342139a0

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Abstract

Large asteroid impacts produced globally lethal conditions by evaporating large volumes of ocean water on the early Earth. The Earth may have been continuously habitable by ecosystems that did not depend on photosynthesis as early as 4.44 Gyr BP (before present). Only a brief interval after 3.8 Gyr exists between the time when obligate photosynthetic organisms could continuously evolve and the time when the palaeontological record indicates highly evolved photosynthetic ecosystems.

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An LHB would likely not sterilize Earth; any microbial life would have rebounded.
“Regardless, an LHB would likely not sterilize Earth (26); any microbial life would have rebounded (27).”
From The Archean atmosphere (2020) · cites this paper as [27]

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Authors: Sleep, N. H., Zahnle, K. J., Kasting, J. F., & Morowitz, H. J.
Affiliations: Stanford University (US)
Ames Research Center (US)
Pennsylvania State University (US)
George Mason University (US)
ORCID: Sleep, Norman H.
Zahnle, Kevin J.
Kasting, James F.
Venue: Nature
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published: 1989-11
Volume: 342
Issue: 6246
Pages: 139-142
ISSN: 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
1476-4687
DOI: 10.1038/342139a0
OpenAlex: W1984632697
Cited by: 574
References: 33
Citations by year: 2026: 9 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 14
FWCI: 13.05
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations: Nature (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
Keywords: asteroid impact, early Earth, ocean evaporation, origin of photosynthesis, habitability, Late Heavy Bombardment
MeSH terms: Biological Evolution, Geology, Oceans and Seas, Paleontology, Photosynthesis, Time Factors, Ecosystem, Earth, Planet, Minor Planets, Geological Phenomena

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Annihilation of ecosystems by large asteroid impacts on the early Earth

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