Palaeoproterozoic evaporites in Fennoscandia: implications for seawater sulphate, the rise of atmospheric oxygen and local amplification of the δ<sup>13</sup>C excursion

Melezhik, Victor A.; Fallick, Anthony E.; Rychanchik, Dmitry V.; Кузнецов, А. Б.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-3121.2005.00600.x

Cited by 86 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…For the c. 2.1 Ga Tulomozero Formation on the Fennoscandian Shield, Melezhik et al (2005) documented evidence for former evaporites in a rock record 500 m thick and covering an area of >2,000 km 2 . A large variety of dolomite and silica pseudomorphs after sulphates were reported from a wide range of facies, and probable halites from inferred playa-lake deposits in the Tulomozero Formation (Fig.…”

Section: Harald Strauss and Marlene Reuschelmentioning

confidence: 97%

7.5 Abundant Marine Calcium Sulphates: Radical Change of Seawater Sulphate Reservoir and Sulphur Cycle

Strauß

Melezhik

Reuschel

et al. 2012

Reading the Archive of Earth’s Oxygenation

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Section: Harald Strauss and Marlene Reuschelmentioning

confidence: 97%

7.5 Abundant Marine Calcium Sulphates: Radical Change of Seawater Sulphate Reservoir and Sulphur Cycle

Strauß

Melezhik

Reuschel

et al. 2012

Reading the Archive of Earth’s Oxygenation

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“…A previous compilation (Grotzinger & Kasting 1993) described sulphate evaporites as old as c. 1.7 Ga and no older, but there is more recent recognition of common sulphate pseudomorphs in sedimentary successions at c. 2.2-2.1 Ga (reviewed by Pope & Grotzinger 2003;Evans 2006). Those gypsum-or anhydrite-bearing strata are usually associated with redbeds and 13 C-enriched carbonates of the Lomagundi-Jatuli event (Melezhik et al 2005b). Evaporite deposits of both younger (Pope & Grotzinger 2003) and older age (Buick 1992;Eriksson et al 2005a) contain an evaporative sequence from carbonate directly to halite, excluding sulphate.…”

Section: The Evolving Ocean and Atmospherementioning

confidence: 99%

Palaeoproterozoic supercontinents and global evolution: correlations from core to atmosphere

Reddy

Evans

2009

115

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The Palaeoproterozoic era was a time of profound change in Earth evolution and represented perhaps the first supercontinent cycle, from the amalgamation and dispersal of a possible Neoarchaean supercontinent to the formation of the 1.9-1.8 Ga supercontinent Nuna. This supercontinent cycle, although currently lacking in palaeogeographic detail, can in principle provide a contextual framework to investigate the relationships between deep-Earth and surface processes. In this article, we graphically summarize secular evolution from the Earth's core to its atmosphere, from the Neoarchaean to the Mesoproterozoic eras (specifically 3.0-1.2 Ga), to reveal intriguing temporal relationships across the various 'spheres' of the Earth system. At the broadest level our compilation confirms an important deep-Earth event at c. 2.7 Ga that is manifested in an abrupt increase in geodynamo palaeointensity, a peak in the global record of large igneous provinces, and a broad maximum in several mantle-depletion proxies. Temporal coincidence with juvenile continental crust production and orogenic gold, massive-sulphide and porphyry copper deposits, indicate enhanced mantle convection linked to a series of mantle plumes and/or slab avalanches. The subsequent stabilization of cratonic lithosphere, the possible development of Earth's first supercontinent and the emergence of the continents led to a changing surface environment in which voluminous banded iron-formations could accumulate on the continental margins and photosynthetic life could flourish. This in turn led to irreversible atmospheric oxidation at 2.4-2.3 Ga, extreme events in global carbon cycling, and the possible dissipation of a former methane greenhouse atmosphere that resulted in extensive Palaeoproterozoic ice ages. Following the great oxidation event, shallow marine sulphate levels rose, sediment-hosted and iron-oxide-rich metal deposits became abundant, and the transition to sulphide-stratified oceans provided the environment for early eukaryotic evolution. Recent advances in the geochronology of the global stratigraphic record have made these inferences possible. Frontiers for future research include more refined modelling of Earth's thermal and geodynamic evolution, palaeomagnetic studies of geodynamo intensity and continental motions, further geochronology and tectonic syntheses at regional levels, development of new isotopic systems to constrain geochemical cycles, and continued innovation in the search for records of early life in relation to changing palaeoenvironments.

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“…including the disappearance of detrital pyrites (15,16), the appearance of sedimentary evaporites (17), and Cr enrichment in iron-rich sedimentary rocks indicating a highly acidic weathering regime (18).…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

The rise of oxygen and siderite oxidation during the Lomagundi Event

Bachan

Kump

2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The Paleoproterozoic Lomagundi Event is an interval of 130-250 million years, ca. 2.3-2.1 billion years ago, in which extraordinarily 13 C enriched (>10‰) limestones and dolostones occur globally. The high levels of organic carbon burial implied by the positive δ 13 C values suggest the production of vast quantities of O 2 as well as an alkalinity imbalance demanding extremely low levels of weathering. The oxidation of sulfides has been proposed as a mechanism capable of ameliorating these imbalances: It is a potent sink for O 2 as well as a source of acidity. However, sulfide oxidation consumes more O 2 than it can supply CO 2 , leading to insurmountable imbalances in both carbon and oxygen. In contrast, the oxidation of siderite (FeCO 3 proper, as well as other Fe 2+ -bearing carbonate minerals), produces 4 times more CO 2 than it consumes O 2 and is a common-although often overlooked-constituent of Archean and Early Proterozoic sedimentary successions. Here we propose that following the initial rise of O 2 in the atmosphere, oxidation of siderite provided the necessary carbon for the continued oxidation of sulfides, burial of organic carbon, and, most importantly, accumulation of free O 2 . The duration and magnitude of the Lomagundi Event were determined by the size of the preexisting Archean siderite reservoir, which was consumed through oxidative weathering. Our proposal helps resolve a long-standing conundrum and advances our understanding of the geologic history of atmospheric O 2 .carbon isotopes | oxygen | siderite | carbon cycle | Great Oxidation Event R econstructing the geologic history of atmospheric oxygen is among the foremost scientific challenges of our time (1). The level of atmospheric oxygen (pO 2 ) without doubt played a key role in the evolution of the Earth System (2), exerting a major influence on the biosphere, especially the evolution of metazoans (3). With no direct way of measuring oxygen concentrations in deep geologic time, the stable isotopes of carbon recorded in marine limestones provide key constraints (4). Carbon enters the ocean−atmosphere system through volcanoes and weathering of carbon-bearing sedimentary rocks and can exit in one of two ways: (i) uptake during photosynthesis and burial of organic carbon leading to O 2 production and (ii) reaction during weathering and formation of CaCO 3 in the ocean. The carbon isotopic record tells us how carbon was partitioned between these two sinks: A δ 13 C value of 0‰ indicates that ∼80% of incoming carbon was buried as carbonate carbon and 20% as organic carbon. Positive excursions in δ 13 C are unusual and indicate that a larger fraction of carbon was fixed and buried as organic carbon and, with it, a larger amount of O 2 was produced.Following the indications for the first rise of O 2 in the atmosphere (5, 6) is the largest and most protracted period of 13 C enrichment in the geologic record, known as the Lomagundi Event (Fig. 1). Limestones and dolostones with extreme carbon isotopic values of + 8‰ to greater than + 15‰ occur g...

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Palaeoproterozoic evaporites in Fennoscandia: implications for seawater sulphate, the rise of atmospheric oxygen and local amplification of the δ¹³C excursion

Cited by 86 publications

References 23 publications

7.5 Abundant Marine Calcium Sulphates: Radical Change of Seawater Sulphate Reservoir and Sulphur Cycle

7.5 Abundant Marine Calcium Sulphates: Radical Change of Seawater Sulphate Reservoir and Sulphur Cycle

Palaeoproterozoic supercontinents and global evolution: correlations from core to atmosphere

The rise of oxygen and siderite oxidation during the Lomagundi Event

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Palaeoproterozoic evaporites in Fennoscandia: implications for seawater sulphate, the rise of atmospheric oxygen and local amplification of the δ13C excursion

Cited by 86 publications

References 23 publications

7.5 Abundant Marine Calcium Sulphates: Radical Change of Seawater Sulphate Reservoir and Sulphur Cycle

7.5 Abundant Marine Calcium Sulphates: Radical Change of Seawater Sulphate Reservoir and Sulphur Cycle

Palaeoproterozoic supercontinents and global evolution: correlations from core to atmosphere

The rise of oxygen and siderite oxidation during the Lomagundi Event

Contact Info

Product

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Palaeoproterozoic evaporites in Fennoscandia: implications for seawater sulphate, the rise of atmospheric oxygen and local amplification of the δ¹³C excursion