A Palaeogene perspective on climate sensitivity and methane hydrate instability
The Palaeocene–Eocene thermal maximum (PETM), a rapid global warming event and carbon-cycle perturbation of the early Palaeogene, provides a unique test of climate and carbon-cycle models as well as our understanding of sedimentary methane hydrate stability, albeit under conditions very different fr...
Published in: | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
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crroyalsociety:10.1098/rsta.2010.0053 2024-06-02T08:10:24+00:00 A Palaeogene perspective on climate sensitivity and methane hydrate instability Dunkley Jones, T. Ridgwell, A. Lunt, D. J. Maslin, M. A. Schmidt, D. N. Valdes, P. J. 2010 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2010.0053 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsta.2010.0053 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsta.2010.0053 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences volume 368, issue 1919, page 2395-2415 ISSN 1364-503X 1471-2962 journal-article 2010 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2010.0053 2024-05-07T14:16:56Z The Palaeocene–Eocene thermal maximum (PETM), a rapid global warming event and carbon-cycle perturbation of the early Palaeogene, provides a unique test of climate and carbon-cycle models as well as our understanding of sedimentary methane hydrate stability, albeit under conditions very different from the modern. The principal expression of the PETM in the geological record is a large and rapid negative excursion in the carbon isotopic composition of carbonates and organic matter from both marine and terrestrial environments. Palaeotemperature proxy data from across the PETM indicate a coincident increase in global surface temperatures of approximately 5–6°C. Reliable estimates of atmospheric CO 2 changes and global warming through past transient climate events can provide an important test of the climate sensitivities reproduced by state-of-the-art atmosphere–ocean general circulation models. Here, we synthesize the available carbon-cycle model estimates of the magnitude of the carbon input to the ocean–atmosphere–biosphere system, and the consequent atmospheric p CO 2 perturbation, through the PETM. We also review the theoretical mass balance arguments and available sedimentary evidence for the role of massive methane hydrate dissociation in this event. The plausible range of carbon mass input, approximately 4000–7000 PgC, strongly suggests a major alternative source of carbon in addition to any contribution from methane hydrates. We find that the potential range of PETM atmospheric p CO 2 increase, combined with proxy estimates of the PETM temperature anomaly, does not necessarily imply climate sensitivities beyond the range of state-of-the-art climate models. Article in Journal/Newspaper Methane hydrate The Royal Society Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 368 1919 2395 2415 |
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crroyalsociety |
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English |
description |
The Palaeocene–Eocene thermal maximum (PETM), a rapid global warming event and carbon-cycle perturbation of the early Palaeogene, provides a unique test of climate and carbon-cycle models as well as our understanding of sedimentary methane hydrate stability, albeit under conditions very different from the modern. The principal expression of the PETM in the geological record is a large and rapid negative excursion in the carbon isotopic composition of carbonates and organic matter from both marine and terrestrial environments. Palaeotemperature proxy data from across the PETM indicate a coincident increase in global surface temperatures of approximately 5–6°C. Reliable estimates of atmospheric CO 2 changes and global warming through past transient climate events can provide an important test of the climate sensitivities reproduced by state-of-the-art atmosphere–ocean general circulation models. Here, we synthesize the available carbon-cycle model estimates of the magnitude of the carbon input to the ocean–atmosphere–biosphere system, and the consequent atmospheric p CO 2 perturbation, through the PETM. We also review the theoretical mass balance arguments and available sedimentary evidence for the role of massive methane hydrate dissociation in this event. The plausible range of carbon mass input, approximately 4000–7000 PgC, strongly suggests a major alternative source of carbon in addition to any contribution from methane hydrates. We find that the potential range of PETM atmospheric p CO 2 increase, combined with proxy estimates of the PETM temperature anomaly, does not necessarily imply climate sensitivities beyond the range of state-of-the-art climate models. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Dunkley Jones, T. Ridgwell, A. Lunt, D. J. Maslin, M. A. Schmidt, D. N. Valdes, P. J. |
spellingShingle |
Dunkley Jones, T. Ridgwell, A. Lunt, D. J. Maslin, M. A. Schmidt, D. N. Valdes, P. J. A Palaeogene perspective on climate sensitivity and methane hydrate instability |
author_facet |
Dunkley Jones, T. Ridgwell, A. Lunt, D. J. Maslin, M. A. Schmidt, D. N. Valdes, P. J. |
author_sort |
Dunkley Jones, T. |
title |
A Palaeogene perspective on climate sensitivity and methane hydrate instability |
title_short |
A Palaeogene perspective on climate sensitivity and methane hydrate instability |
title_full |
A Palaeogene perspective on climate sensitivity and methane hydrate instability |
title_fullStr |
A Palaeogene perspective on climate sensitivity and methane hydrate instability |
title_full_unstemmed |
A Palaeogene perspective on climate sensitivity and methane hydrate instability |
title_sort |
palaeogene perspective on climate sensitivity and methane hydrate instability |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2010.0053 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsta.2010.0053 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsta.2010.0053 |
genre |
Methane hydrate |
genre_facet |
Methane hydrate |
op_source |
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences volume 368, issue 1919, page 2395-2415 ISSN 1364-503X 1471-2962 |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2010.0053 |
container_title |
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
container_volume |
368 |
container_issue |
1919 |
container_start_page |
2395 |
op_container_end_page |
2415 |
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1800756257104068608 |