Astrochronology of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum on the Atlantic Coastal Plain

The chronology of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ~56 Ma) remains disputed, hampering complete understanding of the possible trigger mechanisms of this event. Here we present an astrochronology for the PETM carbon isotope excursion from Howards Tract, Maryland a paleoshelf environment, o...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature Communications
Main Authors: Li, Mingsong, Bralower, Timothy J., Kump, Lee R., Self-Trail, Jean M., Zachos, James C., Rush, William D., Robinson, Marci M.
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group UK 2022
Subjects:
Article
Ocean acidification
Online Access:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9509358/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36153313
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-33390-x
Description
Summary:The chronology of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ~56 Ma) remains disputed, hampering complete understanding of the possible trigger mechanisms of this event. Here we present an astrochronology for the PETM carbon isotope excursion from Howards Tract, Maryland a paleoshelf environment, on the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. Statistical evaluation of variations in calcium content and magnetic susceptibility indicates astronomical forcing was involved and the PETM onset lasted about 6 kyr. The astrochronology and Earth system modeling suggest that the PETM onset occurred at an extreme in precession during a maximum in eccentricity, thus favoring high temperatures, indicating that astronomical forcing could have played a role in triggering the event. Ca content data on the paleo-shelf, along with other marine records, support the notion that a carbonate saturation overshoot followed global ocean acidification during the PETM.

Similar Items