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A Cenozoic record of the equatorial Pacific carbonate compensation depth

IR@NIO: CSIR-National Institute Of Oceanography, Goa

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Field Value
 
Creator Palike, H.
Lyle, M.W.
Nishi, H.
Raffi, I.
Ridgwell, A.
Gamage, K.
Klaus, A.
Acton, G.
Anderson, L.
Backman, J.
Baldauf, J.
Beltran, C.
Bohaty, S.M.
Bown, P.
Busch, W.
Channell, J.E.T.
Chun, C.O.J.
Delaney, M.
Dewangan, P.
et al.
 
Date 2012-09-12T12:24:26Z
2012-09-12T12:24:26Z
2012
 
Identifier Nature, vol.488; 2012; 609–614
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/4160
 
Description Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and climate are regulated on geological timescales by the balance between carbon input from volcanic and metamorphic outgassing and its removal by weathering feedbacks; these feedbacks involve the erosion of silicate rocks and organic-carbon-bearing rocks. The integrated effect of these processes is reflected in the calcium carbonate compensation depth, which is the oceanic depth at which calcium carbonate is dissolved. Here we present a carbonate accumulation record that covers the past 53 million years from a depth transect in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. The carbonate compensation depth tracks long-term ocean cooling, deepening from 3.0–3.5 kilometres during the early Cenozoic (approximately 55 million years ago) to 4.6 kilometres at present, consistent with an overall Cenozoic increase in weathering. We find large superimposed fluctuations in carbonate compensation depth during the middle and late Eocene. Using Earth system models, we identify changes in weathering and the mode of organic-carbon delivery as two key processes to explain these large-scale Eocene fluctuations of the carbonate compensation depth.
 
Language en
 
Publisher Nature Publishing Group
 
Rights An edited version of this paper was published by Nature Publishing Group. Copyright [2009] Nature Publishing Group. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v488/n7413/full/nature11360.html
 
Subject carbonate compensation depth
cenozoic
palaeoceanography
 
Title A Cenozoic record of the equatorial Pacific carbonate compensation depth
 
Type Journal Article