Evidence for rapid weathering response to climatic warming during the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event.

ABSTRACT: Chemical weathering consumes atmospheric carbon dioxide through the breakdown of silicate minerals and is thought to stabilize Earth's long-term climate. However, the potential influence of silicate weathering on atmospheric pCO₂ levels on geologically short timescales (10³-10⁵ years) remains poorly constrained. Here we focus on the record of a transient interval of severe climatic warming across the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event or T-OAE from an open ocean sedimentary succession from western North America. Paired osmium isotope data and numerical modelling results suggest that weathering rates may have increased by 215% and potentially up to 530% compared to the pre-event baseline, which would have resulted in the sequestration of significant amounts of at

SUBMITTER: Them TR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5504049 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature