Anomalous negative excursion of carbon isotope in organic carbon after the last Paleoproterozoic glaciation in North America

Early Paleoproterozoic time (2.5–2.0 Ga) spanned a critical phase in Earth's history, characterized by repeated glaciations and an increase in atmospheric oxygen (the Great Oxidation Event (GOE)). Following the last and most intense glaciation of this period, marine carbonates record a large positive excursion of δ^(13)C value (termed the “Lomagundi event”) between about 2.2 and 2.1 Ga coinciding with the global appearances of red beds and sulfates, which suggest an accumulation of high levels of atmospheric oxygen. Here we report the discovery of large negative excursions of δ^(13)C in organic matter (down to −55‰) from quartzose sandstones (of the Marquette Range and the Huronian Supergroups, North America) intermediate in age between the last Paleoproterozoic glaciation and the possible onset of the Lomagundi event. The negative excursion is concomitant with the appearance of intensely weathered quartzose sandstones, which may represent hot and humid conditions. There are some interpretations that potentially explain the negative excursions: (1) redeposition of older ^(13)C-depleted kerogen, (2) later post-depositional infiltration of oil, (3) active methane productions by methanogens in shallow-marine environments, or (4) dissociation of methane hydrate. If the latter two were the case, they would provide clues for understanding the environmental change connecting the intense glaciation and an increase in oxygen

Toarcian oceanic anoxic event: An assessment of global causes using belemnite C isotope records

Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain simultaneous large negative excursions (up to 7% PeeDee belemnite) in bulk carbonate (delta(13)C(carb)) and organic carbon isotope records (delta(13)C(org)) from black shales marking the Toarcian oceanic anoxic event (T-OAE). The first explanation envisions recycling of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) with a light isotopic signature into the photic zone from the lower levels of a salinity-stratified water mass, essentially requiring a regional paleoceanographic driver of the carbon cycle. The second involves the rapid and massive dissociation of methane from gas hydrates that effectively renders the T-OAE a global perturbation of the carbon cycle. We present C isotope records from belemnites (delta(13)C(bel)) sampled from two localities, calibrated with high-resolution ammonite biostratigraphy and Sr isotope stratigraphy, in Yorkshire (England) and Dotternhausen (Germany), that can be used to assess which model best explains the observed changes in carbon isotopes. Our records of the delta(13)C composition of belemnite calcite do not show the large negative C isotope excursions shown by coeval records of delta(13)C in sedimentary organic matter or bulk sedimentary carbonate. It follows that isotopically light carbon cannot have dominated the ocean-atmosphere carbon reservoir during the Toarcian OAE, as would be required were the methane release hypothesis correct. On the basis of an evaluation of available carbon isotope records we discuss a model in which the recycling of DIC from the deeper levels of a stratified water body, and shallowing of anoxic conditions into the photic zone, can explain all isotopic profiles. In particular, the model accounts for the higher C isotope values of belemnites that are characteristic of open ocean, well-mixed conditions, and the lower C isotope values of neritic phytoplankton communities that recorded the degree of density stratification and shallowing of anoxia in the photic zone

Sensitivity of sediment geochemical proxies to coring location and corer type in a large lake: Implications for paleolimnological reconstruction

We compared a suite of geochemical proxies in sediment cores collected in 1982, 1988, 1991, and 2003 from sites near the depocenter of Lake Erie to evaluate the reliability of paleoenvironmental reconstructions derived from lacustrine sediments. Our proxies included the concentrations and carbon isotopic compositions of organic and inorganic carbon (TOC, CaCO 3 , δ 13 C org , and δ 13 C CaCO3 ), augmented by organic C to total N ratios (C org :N tot ), δ 15 N, and carbonate δ 18 O values (δ 18 O CaCO3 ). The three coring sites were clustered within 12 km; two types of corers—a Box corer and a Benthos gravity corer—were used for the 1991 sampling campaign. The variance of most proxies was accounted for not only by temporal environmental changes but also by coring locations and corer type, indicating that sediment spatial heterogeneity and differences in sediment recovery due to the use of different corers also played a part in determining the geochemical compositions of these cores. The TOC, δ 13 C org , and δ 13 C CaCO3 values showed decadal temporal patterns that were consistent between the multiple sampling campaigns. In contrast, the δ 15 N, C org :N tot , CaCO 3 , and δ 18 O CaCO3 exhibited across‐core differences in their temporal variations, making it difficult to extract consistent environment information from different cores. Our findings suggest that in addition to temporal environmental changes, high‐resolution paleolimnological reconstruction is sensitive to many factors that could include spatial sediment heterogeneity, discontinuous sedimentation processes, bioturbation, sediment dating uncertainty, and artifacts associated with analytical and coring procedures. Therefore, multiple‐core sampling and analysis are important in reliably reconstructing environmental changes, particularly for large, heterogeneous lacustrine basins. Key Points Geochemical proxies in five sediment cores from Lake Erie were compared Geochemical record was sensitive to coring location and corer type Multiple cores are necessary for reliable paleolimnological reconstructionPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/107562/1/ggge20455.pd

Az Óbányai Aleurolit Formáció fekete palájának izotópgeokémiai és szénhidrogéngenetikai jellemzése | Isotope geochemistry and characterization of hydrocarbon potential of black shale from Óbánya Siltstone Formation

A toarci Óbányai Aleurolit Formáció réka-völgyi szelvényének (Mecsek hegység) alsó részéből gyűjtött fekete pala minták összes szerves szén-tartalma a laminált kőzettípusban 3,89–8,12%, a vékonyréteges változatban 2,14–3,29%. A Rock Eval pirolízis eredményei alapján valamennyi minta II. típusú, éretlen kerogént tartalmaz. A részletes optikai vizsgálat alapján a szerves anyag szinte kizárólag alga eredetű (liptinit). A szárazföldi szerves anyag beszállítása háttérbe szorult, a teljes szerves anyag mennyiségére nézve kisebb, mint 3,2%. Az SP (szénhidrogén-potenciál) értékek alapján a vizsgált képződmény kiváló kőolaj anyakőzet, jóllehet adatainkat a feltárásban végbement oxidáció befolyásolhatta. A dúsított kerogén stabil szénizotópos összetétele (delta(13)C(org), V–PDB) –30,9 és –28,6% közötti. A laminált fekete palához viszonyítva a vékonyréteges palaminták kisebb TOC- és a teljes liptinithez viszonyított nagyobb bitumentartalma, továbbá a kisebb hidrogén index és a kevésbé negatív delta(13)C(org) értékek a labilis, tengeri eredetű szerves anyag korai diagenetikus oxidációját tükrözik. A fekete pala karbonátjának stabil szén- és oxigénizotópos összetételét a diagenezis homogenizáló hatása befolyásolta, ezért az őskörnyezeti viszonyok jellemzésére nem használható fel. | In the black shale samples collected from the lower part of the Réka Valley section (Mecsek Mts.) of the Toarcian Óbánya Siltstone Formation, total organic carbon (TOC) contents vary between 3.89 and 8.12% for laminated lithotype and between 2.14 and 3.29% for thin-bedded one. Rock Eval data indicate a type II, immature kerogen throughout the section. Detailed optical analysis reflects that the organic matter is composed almost exclusively of material linked to an algal origin (liptinite). The terrestrial plant debris constituents occur as a backround input signal, which accounts for a maximum of less than 3.2% of the total organic matter. According to the SP (source potential) values these rocks have an excellent petroleum potential; however, our data may be affected by outcrop weathering. The kerogen carbon isotopic composition ranges from delta(13)C(org) value of –30.9 to –28.6% (relative to V–PDB). Relative to the laminated black shale samples, lower TOC and higher bitumen contents in the liptinite fraction together with lower hydrogen index and higher delta(13)C(org) values in the thin-bedded black shale samples reflect an early diagenetic oxidation of labile marine organic matter. Measured delta(13)C(carb) and delta(18)O(carb) values show that the carbonate composition of the black shale samples is strongly affected by homogenizing effect of diagenesis. Therefore, these data can not be used to infer palaeoenvironmental conditions

The age of the Tojeira Formation (Late Jurassic, Early Kimmeridgian), of Montejunto, west-central Portugal

Precise biostratigraphic dating of the Tojeira Formation (Late Jurassic, Early Kimmeridgian) of the Montejunto section of west-central Portugal, which has yielded important planktonic foraminiferal assemblages, is hindered by poor preservation in the upper part of the section as the lithology shifts from shale to coarser clastics. Assignment was previously made to the Idoceras planula and Sutneria platynota zones based on ammonites. Coccolith and dinoflagellate assemblages described here concur with the Early Kimmeridgian, yet, a finer age constraint is proposed by cyclo- and chemostratigraphical correlation. Peaks in δ13Corg and TOC, if equivalent to maxima in the envelope of clay/carbonate cycles in SE France, imply that the c. 50 m-thick section spans a 0.8-myr interval of the S. platynota through upper Ataxioceras hypselocyclum ammonite zones, with the approximate base of the A. hypselocyclum Zone at c. 15.4 m (level 13). Such stratigraphy provides new insights into the upper part of the formation by interbasinal correlation with other Tethyan records. An extended first occurrence of the dinoflagellate species Dichadogonyaulax? pannea in the S. platynota Zone is also proposed

Sources and preservation of organic matter in soils of the wetlands in the Liaohe (Liao River) Delta, North China

Total organic carbon, total nitrogen, delta C-13(org), delta N-15, and aliphatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons of fifty-five soil samples collected from the coastal wetlands of the Liaohe Delta were measured, in order to determine the sources and possible preservation of organic matter (OM). The delta(15)(N) and delta C-13(org) values in the samples ranged from 3.0 parts per thousand to 9.4 parts per thousand and from -30.4 parts per thousand to -20.3 parts per thousand, respectively, implying that the OM in the soils is predominantly derived from C-3 plant. The long-chain n-alkanes had a strong odd-over-even carbon number predominance, suggesting a significant contribution from waxes of higher plants. The ubiquitous presence of unresolved complex mixture, alkylated polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons and typical biomarkers of petroleum hydrocarbons (pristane, phytane, hopanes and steranes) indicates that there is a contribution of petroleum hydrocarbons to the organic carbon pool in the wetland soils. P. australis-vegetated wetlands have strong potentials for the preservation of organic carbon in the wetlands. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Total organic carbon, total nitrogen, delta C-13(org), delta N-15, and aliphatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons of fifty-five soil samples collected from the coastal wetlands of the Liaohe Delta were measured, in order to determine the sources and possible preservation of organic matter (OM). The delta(15)(N) and delta C-13(org) values in the samples ranged from 3.0 parts per thousand to 9.4 parts per thousand and from -30.4 parts per thousand to -20.3 parts per thousand, respectively, implying that the OM in the soils is predominantly derived from C-3 plant. The long-chain n-alkanes had a strong odd-over-even carbon number predominance, suggesting a significant contribution from waxes of higher plants. The ubiquitous presence of unresolved complex mixture, alkylated polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons and typical biomarkers of petroleum hydrocarbons (pristane, phytane, hopanes and steranes) indicates that there is a contribution of petroleum hydrocarbons to the organic carbon pool in the wetland soils. P. australis-vegetated wetlands have strong potentials for the preservation of organic carbon in the wetlands. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Contrasting geochemical signatures on land from the Middle and Late Permian extinction events

The end of the Palaeozoic is marked by two mass‐extinction events during the Middle Permian (Capitanian) and the Late Permian (Changhsingian). Given similarities between the two events in geochemical signatures, such as large magnitude negative δ 13 C anomalies, sedimentological signatures such as claystone breccias, and the approximate contemporaneous emplacement of large igneous provinces, many authors have sought a common causal mechanism. Here, a new high‐resolution continental record of the Capitanian event from Portal Mountain, Antarctica, is compared with previously published Changhsingian records of geochemical signatures of weathering intensity and palaeoclimatic change. Geochemical means of discriminating sedimentary provenance (Ti/Al, U/Th and La/Ce ratios) all indicate a common provenance for the Portal Mountain sediments and associated palaeosols, so changes spanning the Capitanian extinction represent changes in weathering intensity rather than sediment source. Proxies for weathering intensity chemical index of alteration, ∆ W and rare earth element accumulation all decline across the Capitanian extinction event at Portal Mountain, which is in contrast to the increased weathering recorded globally at the Late Permian extinction. Furthermore, palaeoclimatic proxies are consistent with unchanging or cooler climatic conditions throughout the Capitanian event, which contrasts with Changhsingian records that all indicate a significant syn‐extinction and post‐extinction series of greenhouse warming events. Although both the Capitanian and Changhsingian event records indicate significant redox shifts, palaeosol geochemistry of the Changhsingian event indicates more reducing conditions, whereas the new Capitanian record of reduced trace metal abundances (Cr, Cu, Ni and Ce) indicates more oxidizing conditions. Taken together, the differences in weathering intensity, redox and the lack of evidence for significant climatic change in the new record suggest that the Capitanian mass extinction was not triggered by dyke injection of coal‐beds, as in the Changhsingian extinction, and may instead have been triggered directly by the Emeishan large igneous province or by the interaction of Emeishan basalts with platform carbonates.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/108696/1/sed12117.pd

Response and Recovery of the Comanche Carbonate Platform Surrounding Multiple Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Events, Northern Gulf of Mexico

The ubiquity of carbonate platforms throughout the Cretaceous Period is recognized as a product of high eustatic sea-level and a distinct climatic optimum induced by rapid sea-floor spreading and elevated levels of atmospheric carbon-dioxide. Notably, a series of global oceanic anoxic events (OAEs) punctuate this time-interval and mark periods of significantly reduced free oxygen in the world's oceans. The best records of these events are often from one-dimensional shelf or basin sections where only abrupt shifts between oxygenated carbonates and anoxic shales are recorded. The Comanche Platform of central Texas provides a unique opportunity to study these events within a well-constrained stratigraphic framework in which their up-dip and down-dip sedimentologic effects can be observed and the recovery of the platform to equilibrium states can be timed and understood. Stable isotope data from whole cores in middle Hauterivian through lower Campanian mixed carbonate-siliciclastic strata are used to construct a 52-myr carbon isotope reference profile for the northern Gulf of Mexico. Correlation of this composite curve to numerous global reference profiles permits identification of several anoxic events and allows their impact on platform architecture and fades distribution to be documented. Oceanic anoxic events la, 1b, 1d, and 2 occurred immediately before, after, or during shale deposition in the Pine Island Member, Bexar Member, Del Rio Formation, and Eagle Ford Group, respectively. Oceanic anoxic event 3 corresponds to deposition of the Austin Chalk Group. Platform drowning on three occasions more closely coincided with globally recognized anoxic sub-events such as the Fallot, Albian-Cenomanian, and Mid-Cenomanian events. This illustrates that the specific anoxic event most affecting a given carbonate platform varied globally as a function of regional oceanographic circumstances. Using chemo- and sequence-stratigraphic observations, a four-stage model is proposed to describe the changing fades patterns, fauna, sedimentation accumulation rates, platform architectures, and relative sea-level trends of transgressive-regressive composite sequences that developed in response to global carbon-cycle perturbations. The four phases of platform evolution include the equilibrium, crisis, anoxic, and recovery stages. The equilibrium stage is characterized by progradational shelf geometries and coralrudist phototrophic faunal assemblages. Similar phototrophic fauna typify the crisis stage; however, incipient biocalcification crises of this phase led to retrogradational shelf morphologies, transgressive facies patterns, and increased clay mineral proportions. Anoxic stages of the Comanche Platform were coincident with back-ground deposition of organic-rich shale on drowned shelves and heterotrophic fauna dominated by oysters or coccolithophorids. Eustatic peaks of this stage were of moderate amplitude (similar to 30 m), yet relative sea-level rises were greatly enhanced by reduced sedimentation rates. In the recovery stage, heterotrophic carbonate factories re-established at the shoreline as progradational ramp systems and sediment accumulation rates slowly increased as dysoxia diminished. Full recovery to equilibrium conditions may or may not have followed. Geochemical and stratigraphic trends present in the four stages are consistent with increased volcanism along mid-ocean ridges and in large-igneous provinces as primary drivers of Cretaceous OAEs and the resulting transgressive-regressive composite sequences. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.BHP-BillitonReservoir Characterization Research Laboratory, the Bureau of Economic GeologyJackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at AustinBureau of Economic Geolog

Widespread dispersal and aging of organic carbon in shallow marginal seas

The occurrence of pre-aged organic carbon (OC) in continental margin surface sediments is a commonly observed phenomenon, yet the nature, sources, and causes of this aged OC remain largely undetermined for many continental shelf settings. Here we present the results of an extensive survey of the abundance and radiocarbon content of OC in surface sediments from the northern Chinese marginal seas. Pre-aged OC is associated with both coarser (>63 µm) and finer (<63 µm) sedimentary components; measurements on specific grain-size fractions reveal that it is especially prevalent within the 20–63 µm fraction of inner shelf sediments. We suggest that organic matter associated with this sortable silt fraction is subject to protracted entrainment in resuspension-deposition loops during which it ages, is modified, and is laterally dispersed, most likely via entrainment within benthic nepheloid layers. This finding highlights the complex dynamics and predepositional history of organic matter accumulating in continental shelf sediments, with implications for our understanding of carbon cycling on continental shelves, development of regional carbon budgets, and interpretation of sedimentary records