Redox Dynamics of the Atmosphere and Oceans Induced by the Paleoproterozoic Snowball Earth Events.

ABSTRACT: The Paleoproterozoic Earth underwent profound environmental changes, including multiple severe glaciations and fluctuations in atmospheric oxygen (O₂) levels. However, the precise relationship between O₂ evolution and the glaciations remains unclear. Here, we use a biogeochemical cycle model involving carbon, phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen to investigate the redox dynamics of the ocean-atmosphere system following the climatic transition to a super-greenhouse state after deglaciation. Our stochastic analysis reveals that climatic recovery on a timescale of ~10⁵ years from elevated atmospheric CO₂ levels (> 0.2 atm) triggers an extensive oxidation of the atmosphere and oceans over the subsequent 10⁶-10⁷ years, aligning with th

SUBMITTER: Harada M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12743051 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature