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Title: North‐East Peri‐Tethyan Water Column Deoxygenation and Euxinia at the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum

Journal Article · · Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology
 [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [1];  [3]; ORCiD logo [4];  [1]; ORCiD logo [5]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Organic Geochemistry Unit School of Chemistry School of Earth Sciences Cabot Institute for the Environment University of Bristol Bristol UK
  2. BRIDGE School of Geographical Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UK
  3. Organic Geochemistry Unit School of Chemistry School of Earth Sciences Cabot Institute for the Environment University of Bristol Bristol UK, Now at Elementar North America Toronto ON Canada
  4. Department of Earth Sciences Centre of Climate, Ocean and Atmosphere Royal Holloway University of London Egham UK
  5. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences Harvard University Cambridge MA USA

Abstract The Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is associated with climatic change and biological turnover. It shares features with the Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs) of the Mesozoic, such as transient global warming and biogeochemical perturbations. However, the PETM experienced a more muted expansion of marine anoxia compared to the Mesozoic OAEs (especially OAE2), with geographically limited evidence for photic zone euxinia (PZE). We explore the extent and drivers of marine deoxygenation during the PETM using biomarkers for water column euxinia and anoxia as well as an intermediate complexity Earth system model (cGEnIE). These reveal that the water column in the North‐East Peri‐Tethys became anoxic, with euxinic conditions reaching the photic zone (PZE) during the PETM. Our model shows that euxinia developed due to a global increase in the ocean nutrient inventory with concomitant oxygen consumption, similar to findings for OAE2. The particularly strong regional response in the NE Peri‐Tethys appears to arise from a combination of global CO 2 ‐weathering forcing, regionally restricted circulation and upwelling of sulphidic thermocline waters. Unlike OAE2, anoxia and PZE do not become widespread in our PETM simulations, consistent with new and existing geochemical and biological proxy data. This globally muted response could result from reduced biogeochemical feedbacks to climate forcing relative to the mid‐Cretaceous climate. Our observations suggest that similar mechanisms operated in response to disparate Cenozoic (PETM) and Mesozoic (OAEs) transient global warming events, while also highlighting that background conditions are crucial in modulating the sensitivity of Earth's system to them.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
2477101
Journal Information:
Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, Journal Name: Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 39; ISSN 2572-4517
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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