Data from: Mass extinctions over the last 500 myr: an astronomical cause?

A Fourier analysis of the magnitudes and timing of the Phanerozoic mass extinctions (MEs) demonstrates that many of the periodicities claimed in other analyses are not statistically significant. Moreover we show that the periodicities associated with oscillations of the Solar System about the galactic plane are too irregular to give narrow peaks in the Fourier periodograms. This leads us to conclude that, apart from possibly a small number of major events, astronomical causes for MEs can largely be ruled out.

对显生宙生物大灭绝（MEs）的规模与发生时序开展的傅里叶分析（Fourier analysis）显示，其他相关分析中提出的诸多周期性特征并不具备统计显著性。此外，本研究证实，与太阳系绕银道面（galactic plane）摆动相关的周期性特征过于不规则，无法在傅里叶周期图（Fourier periodograms）中形成尖锐窄峰。据此我们得出结论：除极少数重大灭绝事件外，天文因素可在很大程度上被排除为生物大灭绝的成因。