On gamma-ray bursts and their biological effects :a case for an extrinsic trigger of the Cambrian explosion ?

TL;DR

This paper explores how gamma-ray bursts could have caused atmospheric ozone depletion, leading to mass extinctions and possibly triggering the Cambrian explosion, by analyzing their effects on Earth's atmosphere.

Contribution

It proposes a novel hypothesis linking gamma-ray bursts to major biological events, specifically suggesting GRBs may have triggered the Cambrian explosion.

Findings

Gamma-ray bursts can significantly deplete Earth's ozone layer.

Ozone depletion from GRBs could have caused mass extinctions.

A potential link between GRBs and the Cambrian explosion is proposed.

Abstract

We discuss some the effects of local gamma-ray bursts on the earth's atmosphere. A rough calculation of the fraction of ozone destruction by catalytic $NO_{x}$ cycles is given, which in turn serves to argue how the large flux of gammas from these events would have indirectly provoked major extinction of living organisms. We give specific examples of these features, and tentatively identify the Cambrian explosion seen in the actual fossil record as an event caused by a GRB.