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Power Spectra of Extinction in the Fossil Record

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  • M. E. J. Newman
  • Gunther J. Eble

Abstract

Recent Fourier analyses of fossil extinction data have indicated that the power spectrum of extinction during the Phanerozoic may take the form of 1/f noise, a result which, it has been suggested, could be indicative of the presence of "critical dynamics" in the processes giving rise to extinction. In this paper we examine extinction power spectra in some detail, using family-level data from a variety of different sources. We find that although the average form of the power spectrum roughly obeys the 1/f law, the spectrum can be represented more accurately by dividing it into two regimes: a low-frequency one which is well fit by an exponential, and a high-frequency one in which it follows a power law with a 1/f2 form. We give explanations for the occurrence of each of thse behaviours and for the position of the cross-over between them. Submitted to Proc. Roy. Soc.

Suggested Citation

  • M. E. J. Newman & Gunther J. Eble, 1998. "Power Spectra of Extinction in the Fossil Record," Working Papers 98-12-109, Santa Fe Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:wop:safiwp:98-12-109
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ricard V. Solé & Susanna C. Manrubia & Michael Benton & Per Bak, 1997. "Self-similarity of extinction statistics in the fossil record," Nature, Nature, vol. 388(6644), pages 764-767, August.
    2. James W. Kirchner & Anne Weil, 1998. "No fractals in fossil extinction statistics," Nature, Nature, vol. 395(6700), pages 337-338, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. M. E. J. Newman & Gunther J. Eble, 1998. "Decline in Extinction Rates and Scale Invariance in the Fossil Record," Working Papers 98-09-081, Santa Fe Institute.

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