Beyond methane: Towards a theory for the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum

Higgins, John A.; Schrag, Daniel P.

doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2006.03.009

Cited by 281 publications

(190 citation statements)

References 121 publications

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“…These Eocene hyperthermals, both documented (PETM, ETM2) and suspected (I and K), are marked by prominent negative carbon isotope excursions in sedimentary components and carbonate dissolution in deep-sea sediment records [Lourens et al, 2005;Röhl et al, 2005;Zachos et al, 2005]. These observations are consistent with rapid, massive injections of 13 C-depleted carbon into the ocean-atmosphere system, although the mechanism for such release remains controversial [Dickens et al, 1995;Higgins and Schrag, 2006;Sluijs et al, 2007a].…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 68%

“…[57] Second, isolation of large epicontinental seaways, followed by desiccation and oxidation of organic matter, might also have added large amounts of CO 2 to the atmosphere during the PETM [Higgins and Schrag, 2006]. The primary epicontinental sea underlying this hypothesis is located in Eurasia, representing the Turgay Strait, Southeastern Europe and South Asia.…”

Section: Implications For Triggering Hyperthermal Eventsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two proposed causes for the hyperthermals (oxidation of organic matter in subaerially exposed marine deposits [Higgins and Schrag, 2006]; release of microbially derived methane from the shelf [Schmitz et al, 2004]) invoke a significant drop in sea level. A third proposed cause, mantle plume initiated volcanism in the north Atlantic [Svensen et al, 2004], should have caused a rise.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Eustatic variations during the Paleocene‐Eocene greenhouse world

et al. 2008

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[1] We reconstruct eustatic variations during the latest Paleocene and earliest Eocene ($58-52 Ma). Dinoflagellate cysts, grain size fractions, and organic biomarkers in marine sections at four sites from three continents indicate an increased distance to the coast during the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM). The same trend is recognized in published records from other sites around the world. Together, the data indicate a eustatic rise during the PETM, beginning 20 to 200 ka before the globally recorded negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE) at $55.5 Ma. Although correlations are tentative, we recognize other global transgressions during Chrons C25n and C24n. The latter may be associated with Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 ($53.5 Ma) or the ''X''-event ($52 Ma). These results suggest a link between global sea level and ''hyperthermal'' intervals, potentially because of the melting of small alpine ice sheets on Antarctica, thermal expansion of seawater, or both. However, the early onset of sea level rise relative to the CIE of the PETM suggests contributions from other mechanisms, perhaps decreasing ocean basin volume, on sea level rise.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 68%

Section: Implications For Triggering Hyperthermal Eventsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Eustatic variations during the Paleocene‐Eocene greenhouse world

et al. 2008

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“…In between are metastable periods such as the present interglacial. The best known hot house happened 55 Myr ago at the beginning of the Eocene period (Tripati & Elderfield 2005;Higgins & Schrag 2006). In that event, between one and two terratons of carbon dioxide were released into the air by a geological accident.…”

Section: Geophysiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

A geophysiologist's thoughts on geoengineering

Lovelock

2008

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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The Earth is now recognized as a self-regulating system that includes a reactive biosphere; the system maintains a long-term steady-state climate and surface chemical composition favourable for life. We are perturbing the steady state by changing the land surface from mainly forests to farm land and by adding greenhouse gases and aerosol pollutants to the air. We appear to have exceeded the natural capacity to counter our perturbation and consequently the system is changing to a new and as yet unknown but probably adverse state. I suggest here that we regard the Earth as a physiological system and consider amelioration techniques, geoengineering, as comparable to nineteenth century medicine.

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“…Catastrophic methane release from clathrate deposits has also been invoked (Dickens, 2003 ), though building large deposits under warm early Eocene conditions is diffi cult (Buff ett and Archer, 2004 ). Finally, the isotopically light carbon could have come from the large-scale respiration of organic matter, possibly through the dessication of epicontinental seas (Higgins and Schrag, 2006 ).…”

Section: Hyperthermalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate modelling and deep-time climate change

Caballero¹,

Lynch²

2011

Climate Change, Ecology and Systematics

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Detailed and reliable understanding of past climate change is a key ingredient in unravelling how climate has infl uenced life on earth and will continue to do so in the future. Palaeoclimatology and climate modelling have both made rapid strides over the past decades, and there has been fruitful two-way interaction between the two fi elds. Th e application of climate models to palaeoclimates has proved useful both in interpreting palaeoclimate proxy data and in testing the robustness and generality of climate models. Here, we give an overview of the current state of climate modelling and review recent progress in understanding deep-time climate change, with emphasis on problems where climate models have played a salient role. By suitably adjusting the concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases, climate models can be made to replicate many key climatic transitions in the earth's history. However, important discrepancies remain between modelled climates and proxy reconstructions, particularly on the warm end of the spectrum.

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Beyond methane: Towards a theory for the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum

Cited by 281 publications

References 121 publications

Eustatic variations during the Paleocene‐Eocene greenhouse world

Eustatic variations during the Paleocene‐Eocene greenhouse world

A geophysiologist's thoughts on geoengineering

Climate modelling and deep-time climate change

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