The purpose of this research is to determine the time and duration of flood basalt volcanism in the Siberian Traps. Subaerial picrite and basalt flows and pyroclastic rocks erupted about the time of the boundary between the Permian and Triassic periods. Basaltic rocks will be dated precisely and accurately using the 40Ar-39Ar. Forty basaltic samples have been supplied by Russian colleagues. Samples come from a wide geographic area and from drill cores penetrating the thickest section of the lava sequence. Some Triassic rocks from Wrangellia terrane will also be analyzed. Radiometric dating will establish the age and duration of the volcanism, and has the potential of sheding light on the causes of the Permo-Triassic extinction.
