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Orbital forcing of ice sheets during snowball Earth

Author

Listed:
  • Ross N. Mitchell

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences,
    Curtin University)

  • Thomas M. Gernon

    (University of Southampton)

  • Grant M. Cox

    (Curtin University)

  • Adam R. Nordsvan

    (Curtin University
    University of Hong Kong)

  • Uwe Kirscher

    (Curtin University
    Eberhard Karls University Tübingen)

  • Chuang Xuan

    (University of Southampton)

  • Yebo Liu

    (Curtin University)

  • Xu Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences,)

  • Xiaofang He

    (China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing))

Abstract

The snowball Earth hypothesis—that a runaway ice-albedo feedback can cause global glaciation—seeks to explain low-latitude glacial deposits, as well as geological anomalies including the re-emergence of banded iron formation and “cap” carbonates. One of the most significant challenges to snowball Earth has been sedimentological cyclicity that has been taken to imply more climate dynamics than expected when the ocean is completely covered in ice. However, recent climate models suggest that as atmospheric CO2 accumulates, the snowball climate system becomes sensitive to orbital forcing. Here we show the presence of nearly all Milankovitch (orbital) cycles preserved in stratified banded iron formation deposited during the Sturtian snowball Earth. These results provide evidence for orbitally forced cyclicity of global ice sheets that resulted in periodic oxidation of ferrous iron. Orbital glacial advance and retreat cycles provide a simple mechanism to reconcile both the sedimentary dynamics and the enigmatic survival of multicellular life during snowball Earth.

Suggested Citation

  • Ross N. Mitchell & Thomas M. Gernon & Grant M. Cox & Adam R. Nordsvan & Uwe Kirscher & Chuang Xuan & Yebo Liu & Xu Liu & Xiaofang He, 2021. "Orbital forcing of ice sheets during snowball Earth," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24439-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24439-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Trent B. Thomas & David C. Catling, 2024. "Three-stage formation of cap carbonates after Marinoan snowball glaciation consistent with depositional timescales and geochemistry," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.

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