1. Astrochronology of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum on the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
- Author
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Li M, Bralower TJ, Kump LR, Self-Trail JM, Zachos JC, Rush WD, and Robinson MM
- Subjects
- Carbon Isotopes, Earth, Planet, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Calcium, Seawater
- Abstract
The chronology of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ~56 Ma) remains disputed, hampering complete understanding of the possible trigger mechanisms of this event. Here we present an astrochronology for the PETM carbon isotope excursion from Howards Tract, Maryland a paleoshelf environment, on the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. Statistical evaluation of variations in calcium content and magnetic susceptibility indicates astronomical forcing was involved and the PETM onset lasted about 6 kyr. The astrochronology and Earth system modeling suggest that the PETM onset occurred at an extreme in precession during a maximum in eccentricity, thus favoring high temperatures, indicating that astronomical forcing could have played a role in triggering the event. Ca content data on the paleo-shelf, along with other marine records, support the notion that a carbonate saturation overshoot followed global ocean acidification during the PETM., (© 2022. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2022
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