Extreme warming of tropical waters during the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum

T. Aze; P. N. Pearson; A. J. Dickson; M. P.S. Badger; P. R. Bown; R. D. Pancost; S. J. Gibbs; B. T. Huber; M. J. Leng; A. L. Coe; A. S. Cohen; G. L. Foster

doi:10.1130/G35637.1

Extreme warming of tropical waters during the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum

T. Aze^*, P. N. Pearson, A. J. Dickson, M. P.S. Badger, P. R. Bown, R. D. Pancost, S. J. Gibbs, B. T. Huber, M. J. Leng, A. L. Coe, A. S. Cohen, G. L. Foster

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), ca. 56 Ma, was a major global environmental perturbation attributed to a rapid rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Geochemical records of tropical sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) from the PETM are rare and are typically affected by post-depositional diagenesis. To circumvent this issue, we have analyzed oxygen isotope ratios (σ¹⁸O) of single specimens of exceptionally well-preserved planktonic foraminifera from the PETM in Tanzania (~19°S paleolatitude), which yield extremely low σ¹⁸O, down to ←5%. After accounting for changes in seawater chemistry and pH, we estimate from the foraminifer d18O that tropical SSTs rose by >3 °C during the PETM and may have exceeded 40 °C. Calcareous plankton are absent from a large part of the Tanzania PETM record; extreme environmental change may have temporarily caused foraminiferal exclusion.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	739-742
Number of pages	4
Journal	Geology
Volume	42
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1130/G35637.1
Publication status	Published - Sept 2014
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geology

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title = "Extreme warming of tropical waters during the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum",

abstract = "The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), ca. 56 Ma, was a major global environmental perturbation attributed to a rapid rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Geochemical records of tropical sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) from the PETM are rare and are typically affected by post-depositional diagenesis. To circumvent this issue, we have analyzed oxygen isotope ratios (σ18O) of single specimens of exceptionally well-preserved planktonic foraminifera from the PETM in Tanzania (~19°S paleolatitude), which yield extremely low σ18O, down to ←5%. After accounting for changes in seawater chemistry and pH, we estimate from the foraminifer d18O that tropical SSTs rose by >3 °C during the PETM and may have exceeded 40 °C. Calcareous plankton are absent from a large part of the Tanzania PETM record; extreme environmental change may have temporarily caused foraminiferal exclusion.",

author = "T. Aze and Pearson, {P. N.} and Dickson, {A. J.} and Badger, {M. P.S.} and Bown, {P. R.} and Pancost, {R. D.} and Gibbs, {S. J.} and Huber, {B. T.} and Leng, {M. J.} and Coe, {A. L.} and Cohen, {A. S.} and Foster, {G. L.}",

year = "2014",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1130/G35637.1",

language = "English",

volume = "42",

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issn = "0091-7613",

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T1 - Extreme warming of tropical waters during the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum

AU - Aze, T.

AU - Pearson, P. N.

AU - Dickson, A. J.

AU - Badger, M. P.S.

AU - Bown, P. R.

AU - Pancost, R. D.

AU - Gibbs, S. J.

AU - Huber, B. T.

AU - Leng, M. J.

AU - Coe, A. L.

AU - Cohen, A. S.

AU - Foster, G. L.

PY - 2014/9

Y1 - 2014/9

N2 - The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), ca. 56 Ma, was a major global environmental perturbation attributed to a rapid rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Geochemical records of tropical sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) from the PETM are rare and are typically affected by post-depositional diagenesis. To circumvent this issue, we have analyzed oxygen isotope ratios (σ18O) of single specimens of exceptionally well-preserved planktonic foraminifera from the PETM in Tanzania (~19°S paleolatitude), which yield extremely low σ18O, down to ←5%. After accounting for changes in seawater chemistry and pH, we estimate from the foraminifer d18O that tropical SSTs rose by >3 °C during the PETM and may have exceeded 40 °C. Calcareous plankton are absent from a large part of the Tanzania PETM record; extreme environmental change may have temporarily caused foraminiferal exclusion.

AB - The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), ca. 56 Ma, was a major global environmental perturbation attributed to a rapid rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Geochemical records of tropical sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) from the PETM are rare and are typically affected by post-depositional diagenesis. To circumvent this issue, we have analyzed oxygen isotope ratios (σ18O) of single specimens of exceptionally well-preserved planktonic foraminifera from the PETM in Tanzania (~19°S paleolatitude), which yield extremely low σ18O, down to ←5%. After accounting for changes in seawater chemistry and pH, we estimate from the foraminifer d18O that tropical SSTs rose by >3 °C during the PETM and may have exceeded 40 °C. Calcareous plankton are absent from a large part of the Tanzania PETM record; extreme environmental change may have temporarily caused foraminiferal exclusion.

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DO - 10.1130/G35637.1

M3 - Article

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SP - 739

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JO - Geology

JF - Geology

IS - 9

ER -

Extreme warming of tropical waters during the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum

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