Abstract

Meteorites, Fe and Si-rich microspherules, positive Ir and Pt anomalies, and burned charcoal-rich Hopewell habitation surfaces demonstrate that a cosmic airburst event occurred over the Ohio River valley during the late Holocene. A comet-shaped earthwork was constructed near the airburst epicenter. Twenty-nine radiocarbon ages establish that the event occurred between 252 and 383 CE, a time when 69 near-Earth comets were documented. While Hopewell people survived the catastrophic event, it likely contributed to their cultural decline. The Hopewell airburst event expands our understanding of the frequency and impact of cataclysmic cosmic events on complex human societies.

Details

Title
RETRACTED ARTICLE: The Hopewell airburst event, 1699–1567 years ago (252–383 CE)
Author
Tankersley, Kenneth Barnett 1 ; Meyers, Stephen D. 2 ; Meyers, Stephanie A. 3 ; Jordan, James A. 4 ; Herzner, Louis 5 ; Lentz, David L. 3 ; Zedaker, Dylan 5 

 University of Cincinnati, Department of Anthropology, Department of Geology, Cincinnati, USA (GRID:grid.24827.3b) (ISNI:0000 0001 2179 9593); University of Cincinnati, Department of Geology, Cincinnati, USA (GRID:grid.24827.3b) (ISNI:0000 0001 2179 9593) 
 University of Cincinnati, Department of Geology, Cincinnati, USA (GRID:grid.24827.3b) (ISNI:0000 0001 2179 9593) 
 University of Cincinnati, Department of Biology, Cincinnati, USA (GRID:grid.24827.3b) (ISNI:0000 0001 2179 9593) 
 United States Geological Survey, Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory, Reston, USA (GRID:grid.2865.9) (ISNI:0000000121546924) 
 University of Cincinnati, Department of Anthropology, Department of Geology, Cincinnati, USA (GRID:grid.24827.3b) (ISNI:0000 0001 2179 9593) 
Pages
1706
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2624599116
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.