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Impact of global cooling on Early Cretaceous high pCO2 world during the Weissert Event

Author

Listed:
  • Liyenne Cavalheiro

    (University of Milan)

  • Thomas Wagner

    (The Lyell Centre, Heriot–Watt University)

  • Sebastian Steinig

    (University of Bristol)

  • Cinzia Bottini

    (University of Milan)

  • Wolf Dummann

    (Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne
    Institute of Geosciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt)

  • Onoriode Esegbue

    (The Lyell Centre, Heriot–Watt University
    School of Natural and Environmental Science, Newcastle University)

  • Gabriele Gambacorta

    (Eni S.p.A. Natural Resources–Geology and Geophysics Research and Technological Innovation, San Donato Milanese)

  • Victor Giraldo-Gómez

    (University of Milan)

  • Alexander Farnsworth

    (University of Bristol
    Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Sascha Flögel

    (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research)

  • Peter Hofmann

    (Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne)

  • Daniel J. Lunt

    (University of Bristol)

  • Janet Rethemeyer

    (Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne)

  • Stefano Torricelli

    (Eni S.p.A. Natural Resources–Sedimentology, Stratigraphy and Petrography Department, San Donato Milanese)

  • Elisabetta Erba

    (University of Milan)

Abstract

The Weissert Event ~133 million years ago marked a profound global cooling that punctuated the Early Cretaceous greenhouse. We present modelling, high-resolution bulk organic carbon isotopes and chronostratigraphically calibrated sea surface temperature (SSTs) based on an organic paleothermometer (the TEX86 proxy), which capture the Weissert Event in the semi-enclosed Weddell Sea basin, offshore Antarctica (paleolatitude ~54 °S; paleowater depth ~500 meters). We document a ~3–4 °C drop in SST coinciding with the Weissert cold end, and converge the Weddell Sea data, climate simulations and available worldwide multi-proxy based temperature data towards one unifying solution providing a best-fit between all lines of evidence. The outcome confirms a 3.0 °C ( ±1.7 °C) global mean surface cooling across the Weissert Event, which translates into a ~40% drop in atmospheric pCO2 over a period of ~700 thousand years. Consistent with geologic evidence, this pCO2 drop favoured the potential build-up of local polar ice.

Suggested Citation

  • Liyenne Cavalheiro & Thomas Wagner & Sebastian Steinig & Cinzia Bottini & Wolf Dummann & Onoriode Esegbue & Gabriele Gambacorta & Victor Giraldo-Gómez & Alexander Farnsworth & Sascha Flögel & Peter Ho, 2021. "Impact of global cooling on Early Cretaceous high pCO2 world during the Weissert Event," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-25706-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25706-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Juan Pedro Rodríguez-López & Chihua Wu & Tatiana A. Vishnivetskaya & Julian B. Murton & Wenqiang Tang & Chao Ma, 2022. "Permafrost in the Cretaceous supergreenhouse," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Kaushal Gianchandani & Sagi Maor & Ori Adam & Alexander Farnsworth & Hezi Gildor & Daniel J. Lunt & Nathan Paldor, 2023. "Effects of paleogeographic changes and CO2 variability on northern mid-latitudinal temperature gradients in the Cretaceous," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-7, December.

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