Impact-induced initiation of Snowball Earth: A model study
During the Neoproterozoic and Paleoproterozoic eras, geological evidence points to several “Snowball Earth†episodes when most of Earth’s surface was covered in ice. These global-scale glaciations represent the most marked climate changes in Earth’s history. We show that the impact winter fol...
Published in: | Science Advances |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , |
Format: | Text |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2024
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk5489 http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/11103 |
id |
ftunichicagoknow:oai:uchicago.tind.io:11103 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunichicagoknow:oai:uchicago.tind.io:11103 2024-09-15T18:35:26+00:00 Impact-induced initiation of Snowball Earth: A model study Fu, Minmin Abbot, Dorian S. Koeberl, Christian Federov, Alexey 2024-02-16T15:29:29Z https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk5489 http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/11103 eng eng https://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/11103/files/sciadv.adk5489.pdf https://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/11103/files/sciadv.adk5489_sm.zip doi:https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk5489 http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/11103 http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/11103 Text 2024 ftunichicagoknow https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk5489 2024-08-05T14:08:09Z During the Neoproterozoic and Paleoproterozoic eras, geological evidence points to several “Snowball Earth†episodes when most of Earth’s surface was covered in ice. These global-scale glaciations represent the most marked climate changes in Earth’s history. We show that the impact winter following an asteroid impact comparable in size to the Chicxulub impact could have led to a runaway ice-albedo feedback and global glaciation. Using a state-of-the-art atmosphere-ocean climate model, we simulate the climate response following an impact for preindustrial, Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), Cretaceous-like, and Neoproterozoic climates. While warm ocean temperatures in the preindustrial and Cretaceous-like climates prevent Snowball initiation, the colder oceans of the LGM and cold Neoproterozoic climate scenarios rapidly form sea ice and demonstrate high sensitivity to the initial condition of the ocean. Given suggestions of a cold pre-Snowball climate, we argue the initiation of Snowball Earth by a large impact is a robust possible mechanism, as previously suggested by others, and conclude by discussing geologic tests. Text Sea ice Knowledge@UChicago (University of Chicago) Science Advances 10 6 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Knowledge@UChicago (University of Chicago) |
op_collection_id |
ftunichicagoknow |
language |
English |
description |
During the Neoproterozoic and Paleoproterozoic eras, geological evidence points to several “Snowball Earth†episodes when most of Earth’s surface was covered in ice. These global-scale glaciations represent the most marked climate changes in Earth’s history. We show that the impact winter following an asteroid impact comparable in size to the Chicxulub impact could have led to a runaway ice-albedo feedback and global glaciation. Using a state-of-the-art atmosphere-ocean climate model, we simulate the climate response following an impact for preindustrial, Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), Cretaceous-like, and Neoproterozoic climates. While warm ocean temperatures in the preindustrial and Cretaceous-like climates prevent Snowball initiation, the colder oceans of the LGM and cold Neoproterozoic climate scenarios rapidly form sea ice and demonstrate high sensitivity to the initial condition of the ocean. Given suggestions of a cold pre-Snowball climate, we argue the initiation of Snowball Earth by a large impact is a robust possible mechanism, as previously suggested by others, and conclude by discussing geologic tests. |
format |
Text |
author |
Fu, Minmin Abbot, Dorian S. Koeberl, Christian Federov, Alexey |
spellingShingle |
Fu, Minmin Abbot, Dorian S. Koeberl, Christian Federov, Alexey Impact-induced initiation of Snowball Earth: A model study |
author_facet |
Fu, Minmin Abbot, Dorian S. Koeberl, Christian Federov, Alexey |
author_sort |
Fu, Minmin |
title |
Impact-induced initiation of Snowball Earth: A model study |
title_short |
Impact-induced initiation of Snowball Earth: A model study |
title_full |
Impact-induced initiation of Snowball Earth: A model study |
title_fullStr |
Impact-induced initiation of Snowball Earth: A model study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Impact-induced initiation of Snowball Earth: A model study |
title_sort |
impact-induced initiation of snowball earth: a model study |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk5489 http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/11103 |
genre |
Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Sea ice |
op_source |
http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/11103 |
op_relation |
https://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/11103/files/sciadv.adk5489.pdf https://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/11103/files/sciadv.adk5489_sm.zip doi:https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk5489 http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/11103 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk5489 |
container_title |
Science Advances |
container_volume |
10 |
container_issue |
6 |
_version_ |
1810478617940983808 |