David A. Kring

Indiana University, B.S. with Honors, Geology and Astrophysics, 1984
Harvard University, Ph.D., Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1989

Research Publications, Peer-reviewed (Organized by subject)

Impact Cratering on Earth
        Chicxulub Impact Event
        Cretaceous-Tertiary (K/T) Boundary Mass Extinction Event
        Environmental Consequences of Impact Events

1991   D. A. Kring and W. V. Boynton, "Altered spherules of impact melt and associated relic glass from K/T boundary sediments in Haiti," Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 55, pp. 1737—1742.

1991   A. R. Hildebrand, G. T. Penfield, D. A. Kring, M. Pilkington, A. Camargo Z., S. Jacobsen, and W. V. Boynton, "The Chicxulub Crater: A possible Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary impact crater on the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico," Geology 19, pp. 867–871.

1992   D. A. Kring and W. V. Boynton, "The petrogenesis of an augite-bearing melt rock in the Chicxulub structure and its relationship to K/T impact spherules in Haiti," Nature 358, pp. 141–144.

1993   D. A. Kring, "The Chicxulub impact event and possible causes of K/T boundary extinctions," in Proceedings of the First Annual Symposium of Fossils of Arizona, D. Boaz and M. Dornan (eds.), Mesa Southwest Museum and the Southwest Paleontological Society, Mesa, pp. 63–79. Invited paper.

1993  D. A. Kring and W. V. Boynton, "K/T melt glasses," Nature 363, pp. 503–504.

1994   D. A. Kring, A. R. Hildebrand, and W. V. Boynton, "Provenance of mineral phases in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments exposed on the southern peninsula of Haiti," Earth Planet. Sci. Letters 128, pp. 629–641.

1995   D. A. Kring, "The dimensions of the Chicxulub impact crater and impact melt sheet," J. Geophys. Res. 100, pp. 16,979-16,986.

1996   D. A. Kring, H. J. Melosh, and D. M. Hunten, "Impact-induced perturbations of atmospheric sulfur," Earth Planet. Sci. Letters 140, pp. 201–212.

1997   D. A. Kring, “Air blast produced by the Meteor Crater impact event and a reconstruction of the affected environment,” Meteoritics and Planetary Science 32, pp. 517–530.

 1997   T. D. Swindle and D. A. Kring, “Implications of small comets for the noble gas inventories of Earth and Mars,” Geophys. Res. Lett. 24, pp. 3113–3116.

1998   E. Pierazzo, D. A. Kring, and H. J. Melosh, “Hydrocode simulation of the Chicxulub impact event and the production of climatically active gases,” J. Geophys. Res. 103, pp. 28607–28626.

2000   D . A. Kring, “Impact events and their effect on the origin, evolution, and distribution of life,” GSA Today 10, no. 8, pp. 1–7. Invited paper.

2002   D. A. Kring and D. D. Durda, “Trajectories and distribution of material ejected fro the Chicxulub impact crater: Implications for post-impact widlfires,” J. Geophysical Res. 107(E6), 10.1029/2001JE001532.

2002   D. A. Kring, "Reevaluating the impact cratering kill curve," Meteoritics and Planetary Science 37, pp. 1648–1649.

2003   D. A. Kring, "Environmental consequences of impact cratering events as a function of ambient conditions on Earth," Astrobiology 3(1), pp. 133–152. Invited paper.

2004   D. A. Kring, L. Zurcher, F. Hörz, and J. Urrutia Fucugauchi, "Impact Lithologies and Their Emplacement in the Chicxulub Impact Crater: Initial Results from the Chicxulub Scientific Drilling Project, Yaxcopoil, Mexico," Meteoritics and Planetary Science 39, pp. 879–897.

2004   L. Zurcher and D. A. Kring, "Post-impact hydrothermal alteration in the Yaxcopoil-1 hole, Chicxulub impact structure, Mexico," Meteoritics and Planetary Science 39, pp. 1199–1221.

2004   A. Gelinas, D. A. Kring, L. Zurcher, and J. Urrutia Fucugauchi, O. Morton, and R. J. Walker "Osmium isotope constraints on the proportion of bolide component in Chicxulub impact melts," Meteoritics and Planetary Science 39, pp. 1003–1008.

2004   D. D. Durda and D. A. Kring, "Ignition threshold for impact-generated fires," J. Geophysical Research 109, E08004, 14 p., doi: 10.1029/2004JE002279.

2005   L. Zurcher, D. A. Kring, D. Dettman, and M. Rollog, "Stable isotope record of post-impact fluid activity in the Yaxcopoil-1 borehole, Chicxulub impact structure, Mexico," In Large Meteorite Impacts and Planetary Evolution III, (T. Kenkmann et al., eds.), Geological Society of America Special Paper 384, pp. 323–338.

2005   D. A. Kring, "Hypervelocity collisions into continental crust composed of sediments and an underlying crystalline basement: Comparing the Ries (~24 km) and Chicxulub (~180 km) impact craters," Chemie der Erde 65, pp. 1–46. Invited paper.

2005   J. V. Bailey, A. S. Cohen, and D. A. Kring, "Lacustrine fossil preservation in acidic environments: Implications of experimental and field studies for the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary acid rain trauma," Palaios 20, pp. 376–389.

2005   V. T. Holliday, D. A. Kring, J. H. Mayer, and R. J. Goble, “Age and effects of the Odessa meteorite impact, Western Texas,” Geology 33, pp. 945–948.

2007   O. Abramov and D. A. Kring, “Numerical modeling of impact-induced hydrothermal activity at the Chicxulub crater,” Meteoritics and Planetary Science 42, pp. 93-112.

2007   D. A. Kring, “The Chicxulub impact event and its environmental consequences at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary,” Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 255, pp. 4-21.  Invited paper.

Impact Cataclysm 3.9–4.0 Billion Years Ago?

2000   D. A. Kring, “Impact events and their effect on the origin, evolution, and distribution of life,” GSA Today 10, no. 8, pp. 1–7. Invited paper.

2000   B. A. Cohen, T. D. Swindle, and D. A. Kring, “Lunar meteorites support the lunar cataclysm hypothesis,” Science 290, pp. 1754–1756.

2002   D. A. Kring and B. A. Cohen, “Cataclysmic bombardment throughout the inner solar system 3.9-4.0 Ga, J. Geophys. Res. 107(E2), pp. 4-1 to 4–6, 10.1029/2001JE001529.

2002   I. J. Daubar, D. A. Kring, T. D. Swindle, and A. J. T. Jull, "Northwest Africa 482: A crystalline impact melt breccia from the lunar highlands," Meteoritics and Planetary Science 37, pp. 1797–1813, 2002.

2003   D. A. Kring, "Environmental consequences of impact cratering events as a function of ambient conditions on Earth," Astrobiology 3(1), pp. 133–152, 2003. Invited paper.

2004   H. Campins, T. D. Swindle, and D. A. Kring, "Evaluating comets as a source of Earth's water," in Cellular Origin and Life in Extreme Environments, volume 6, Origins: Genesis, Evolution and Diversity of Life, J. Seckbach (ed.), Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 569–591. Invited paper.

2005   B. A. Cohen, T. D. Swindle, and D. A. Kring, “Geochemistry and Ar-40-Ar-39 geochronology of impact melt clasts in lunar highlands meteorites: Implications for lunar bombardment history,” Meteoritics and Planetary Science 40, pp. 755–777.

2005   R.G. Strom, R. Maholtra, T. Ito, F. Yoshida, and D .A. Kring,, “The origin of planetary impactors in the inner solar system,” Science 309, pp. 1847–1850.

2008   I.S. Puchtel, R.J. Walker, O.B. James, and D.A. Kring, “Osmium isotope and highly siderophile element systematics of lunar impact melt rocks:  Implications for the late accretion history of the Moon and Earth,” Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 72, pp. 3022–3042.

2009  T.D. Swindle, C.E. Isachsen, J.R. Weirich, and D.A. Kring, “⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar ages of H–chondrite impact melt breccias,” Meteoritics and Planetary Science 44, pp. 747–762.

Impact Cratering on Earth
       Miscellaneous Impact Events

1992   U. B. Marvin and D. A. Kring, "Authentication controversies and impactite petrography of the New Quebec Crater," Meteoritics 27, pp. 585–595.

1999   J. A. Grier, T. D. Swindle, D. A. Kring, and H. J. Melosh, “40Ar-39Ar analyses of samples from the Gardnos impact structure, Norway,” Meteoritics and Planetary Science 34, pp. 803–807.

2001   A. J. T. Jull, G. S. Burr, and D. A. Kring, "A comment on evidence for a very high carbon/iridium ratio in the Tunguska impactor, " Meteoritics and Planetary Science 36, pp. 999–1006.

2006   M. E. Elwood Madden, D. A. Kring, and R. J. Bodnar, “Shock reequilibration of fluid inclusions in Coconino Sandstone from Meteor Crater, Arizona,” Earth and Planetary Science Letters 241, pp. 32–46.

2006   G. Komatsu, J. W. Olsen, J. Ormö, G. Di Achille, D. A. Kring, T. Matsui, “The Tsenkher structure in the Gobi-Altai, Mongolia: Geomorphologic evidence of an impact origin,” Geomorphology 74, pp. 164–180.

2006   M. E. Elwood Madden, D. A. Kring, and R. J. Bodnar, “Shock reequilibration of fluid inclusions in Ries Crater crystalline basement rocks,” Meteoritics and Planetary Science 41, pp. 247–262.

2007   R. A. F. Grieve and D. A. Kring, “The geologic record of destructive impact events on Earth,” In Comet/Asteroid Impacts and Human Society, P. Bobrowsky and H. Rickman (eds.), Springer, Berlin, pp. 3–24. Invited paper.

2008   P.S. Kumar and D.A. Kring, “Impact fracturing and structural modification of sedimentary rocks at Meteor Crater, Arizona,” J. Geophysical Research 113, E09009, 17 p., doi: 10.1029/2008JE003115.

2008   A. Wittmann, R.-T. Schmitt, L. Hecht, D. A. Kring, and H. Povenmire, “Petrology of impact melt rocks from the Chesapeake Bay crater, USA,” in The ICDP-USGS Deep Drilling Project in the Chesapeake Bay impact structure:  Results from the Eyreville coreholes, G.S. Gohn et al. (editors), Geological Society of America Special Paper, in press.

2009   M. H. Poelchau, T. Kenkmann, and D. A. Kring, “Rim uplift and crater shape in Meteor Crater: Effects of target heterogeneities and trajectory obliquity,” Journal of Geophysical Research 114, E01006, 14p., doi:10.1029/2008JE003235.

2009   W. F. Cannon, K. J. Schulz, J. W. Horton, and D. A. Kring, “The Sudbury impact layer in the Paleoproterozoic iron ranges of northern Michigan, USA,” Geological Society of America Bulletin, in press.

Geologic Evolution of Asteroids

1996   D. A. Kring, T. D. Swindle, D. T. Britt, and J. A. Grier, "Cat Mountain: A meteoritic sample of an impact-melted asteroid regolith," J. Geophys. Res. 101, pp. 29,353–29,371.

1998   T. D. Swindle, D. A. Kring, M. K. Burkland, D. H. Hill, and W. V. Boynton, "Noble gases, bulk chemistry, and petrography of olivine-rich achondrites Eagles Nest and LEW 88763: Comparison to brachinites," Meteoritics and Planetary Science 33, pp. 31–48.

1999   D. A. Kring, D. H. Hill, J. D. Gleason, D. T. Britt, G. J. Consomagno, M. Farmer, S. Wilson, and R. Haag, “Portales Valley: A meteoritic sample of the brecciated and metal-veined floor of an impact crater on an H-chondrite asteroid,” Meteoritics and Planetary Science 34, pp. 663–669.

2001   D. A. Kring, A. J. T. Jull, L. R. McHargue, P. A. Bland, D. H. Hill, and F. J. Berry, “Gold Basin meteorite strewn field, Mojave Desert, northwestern Arizona: Relic of a small Late Pleistocene impact event,” Meteoritics and Planetary Science 36, pp. 1057–1066.

2004   J. A. Grier, D. A. Kring, T. D. Swindle, A. S. Rivkin, B. A. Cohen, and D. T. Britt, "Analyses of the chondritic meteorite Orvinio (H6): Further insight into the origins and evolution of shocked H-chondrite material," Meteoritics and Planetary Science 39, pp. 1475–1493.

2009  T. D. Swindle, C. E. Isachsen, J. R. Weirich, and D. A. Kring, ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar ages of H-chondrite impact melt breccias,” Meteoritics and Planetary Science 44, pp. 747–762.

Mars Exploration

1996   D. A. Kring (Chair), J. S. Schweitzer, C. Meyer, J I. Trombka, F. Freund, T. Economou, A. S. Yen, S. S. Kim, A. H. Treiman, D. Blake, and C. M. Lisse, “Precise chemical analyses of planetary surfaces,” in Planetary Surfaces Instrument Workshop, C. Meyer, A. H. Treiman, and T. Kostiuk (eds.), LPI Technical Report 95-05, pp. 5–19.

1997   J. D. Gleason, D. A. Kring, D. H. Hill, and W. V. Boynton, “Petrography and bulk chemistry of Martian orthopyroxenite ALH84001: Implications for the origin of secondary carbonates,” Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 61, pp. 3503–3512.

1997  J. D. Gleason, D. A. Kring, D. H. Hill, and W. V. Boynton, "Petrography and bulk chemistry of Martian lherzolite LEW88516," Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 61, pp. 4007–4014.

1998   D. A. Kring, T. D. Swindle, J. D. Gleason, and J. A. Grier, “Formation and relative ages of maskelynite and carbonate in ALH84001,” Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 62, pp. 2155–2166.

1998   K. Righter, R. L. Hervig, and D. A. Kring, “Accretion and core formation in Mars: Mo contents of melt inclusion glasses in three SNC meteorites,” Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 62, pp. 2167–2177.

2001   W. V. Boynton, S. H. Bailey, D. K. Hamara, M. S. Williams, R.C. Bode, M.R. Fitzgibbon, W. J. Ko, M. G. Ward, K. R. Shridhar, J. A. Blanchard, R.D. Lorenz, R.D. May, D.A. Paige, A.V. Pathare, D. A. Kring, L. A. Leshin, D.W. Ming, A. P. Zent, D. C. Golden, K. E. Kerry, H. V. Lauer Jr., and R. C. Quinn, “Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer: Part of the Mars Volatile and Climate Surveyor integrated payload,” J. Geophys. Res. 106, pp. 17683–17698.

2003   D. A. Kring. J. D. Gleason, T. D. Swindle, K. Nishiizumi, M.W. Caffee, D. H. Hill, A. J. T. Jull, and W. V. Boynton, "Composition of the first bulk melt sample from a volcanic region of Mars: Queen Alexandra Range 94201," Meteoritics and Planetary Science 38, pp. 1833–1848.

2005   O. Abramov and D. A. Kring, “Impact-induced hydrothermal activity on Early Mars,” Journal of Geophysical Research 110(E12), 19 pp., doi: 10.1029/2005JE002453.

2009   S. P. Schwenzer and D. A. Kring, “Impact-generated hydrothermal systems capable of forming phyllosilicates on Noachian Mars,” Geology, in press.

Origin and Evolution of the Solar Nebula

1988   D. A. Kring, The Petrology of Meteoritic Chondrules: Evidence for Fluctuating Conditions in the Solar Nebula, Harvard University, Cambridge, 346 pp.

1991   D. A. Kring, "High temperature rims around chondrules in primitive chondrites: Evidence for fluctuating conditions in the solar nebula," Earth Planet. Sci. Letters 105, pp. 65–80.

1995   A. Ruzicka, D. A. Kring, D. H. Hill, W. V. Boynton, R. N. Clayton, and T. K. Mayeda, "Silica-rich orthopyroxenite in the Bovedy chondrite," Meteoritics 30, pp. 57–70.

1996   L. L. Hood and D. A. Kring, “Models for multiple heating mechanisms,” in Chondrules and the Protoplanetary Disk, R. H. Hewins, R. H. Jones, and E. R. D. Scott (eds.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 265–276.

Impact-generated Hydrothermal Systems

2004   L. Zurcher and D. A. Kring, "Post-impact hydrothermal alteration in the Yaxcopoil-1 hole, Chicxulub impact structure, Mexico," Meteoritics and Planetary Science 39, pp. 1199–1221.

2004   O. Abramov and D. A. Kring, "Numerical modeling of an impact-induced hydrothermal system at the Sudbury crater," Journal of Geophysical Research 109, E10007, 16 p., doi: 10.1029/2003JE002213.

2005   L. Zurcher, D. A. Kring, D. Dettman, and M. Rollog, "Stable isotope record of post-impact fluid activity in the Yaxcopoil-1 borehole, Chicxulub impact structure, Mexico," In Large Meteorite Impacts and Planetary Evolution III, (T. Kenkmann et al., eds.), Geological Society of America Special Paper 384, pp. 323–338.

2005   O. Abramov and D. A. Kring, “Impact-induced hydrothermal activity on Early Mars,” Journal of Geophysical Research 110(E12), 19 pp., doi: 10.1029/2005JE002453.

2007   O. Abramov and D. A. Kring, “Numerical modeling of impact-induced hydrothermal activity at the Chicxulub crater,” Meteoritics and Planetary Science 42, pp. 93–112.

2009   S. P. Schwenzer and D. A. Kring, “Impact-generated hydrothermal systems capable of forming phyllosilicates on Noachian Mars,” Geology, in press.

Triassic/Jurassic Boundary Mass Extinction Event

2004   P. D. Ward, G. H. Garrison, J. W. Haggart, D. A. Kring, and M. J. Beattie, "Isotopic evidence bearing on the Late Triassic extinction events, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, and implications for the duration and cause of the Triassic/Jurassic mass extinction," Earth and Planetary Science Letters 224, pp. 589–600.

2007   P. D. Ward, G. H. Garrison, K. H. Williford, D. A. Kring, D. H. Goodwin, M. J. Beattie, and C. A. McRoberts, “The organic carbon isotopic and paleontological record across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary at the candidate GSSP section at Ferguson Hill, Muller Canyon, Nevada, USA,”  Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 244, pp. 281–289.

Miscellaneous Studies

1995   D. A. Kring, A. R. Hildebrand, M. J. Drake, H. J. Melosh, and A. M. Vickery, "Report of centimeter-sized tektites in Pima County, Arizona, cannot be verified," Meteoritics 30, pp. 110 –112.

2007   J. D. Gleason, G. E. Gehrels, W. R. Dickinson, P. J. Patchett, and D. A. Kring, "Laurentian sources for detrital zircon grains in turbidite and deltaic sandstones of the Pennsylvanian Haymond Formation, Marathon Assemblage, West Texas, U.S.A." Journal of Sedimentary Research 77, pp. 888–900.  

Last updated
August 6, 2009