Sedimentary Markers of Ocean Plateau Volcanism during the Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Events

Lawrence M.E. Percival; L.R. Tedeschi; R.A. Creaser; N.A.G.M. van Helmond; Christophe Snoeck; V. Debaille; Nadine Mattielli; Cinzia Bottini; E. Erba; Steven Goderis; Tamsin A. Mather; Hugh C. Jenkyns; Philippe Claeys

Abstract

The Cretaceous Period saw numerous profound
environmental perturbations, including the Early Aptian
(~120 Ma) and Cenomanian–Turonian (~94 Ma) Oceanic
Anoxic Events (OAEs). The causal mechanisms of these
OAEs remain debated, but were likely linked to large-scale
volcanic activity that occurred during the emplacement of
ocean plateaus (e.g., Greater Ontong–Java and Caribbean
plateaus) into/onto the oceanic crust. However, radiositopic
dating of these volcanics is hindered by the limited sampling
of submarine ocean plateau rocks. Consequently, establishing
a coincidence between the OAEs and volcanism relies on
investigating volcanic markers in the sedimentary records of
the associated climate/palaeoceanographic events. We present
multiproxy records of mercury (Hg) contents, and osmium-
(Os) and lead- (Pb) isotope ratios from several stratigraphic
archives of both the Aptian and Cenomanian OAEs. Osisotope ratios have previously been shown to reliably
document volcanic activity and/or other basalt-seawater
interactions in records of both OAEs. By contrast, Hg
contents and Pb-isotope ratios show much more variation
across different geographical areas, potentially due to local
effects superimposed on a global signal. Moreover, Hg and
Os trends do not reliably correlate for either event, and the
Cenomanian OAE shows little evidence for Hg enrichment at
all. These results suggest that the three proxies highlight
different aspects of large-scale volcanism that operated at
various times during the two OAEs.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 20 Aug 2019

Cite this

@conference{bb9b11ebc0654eeba8b9a99b3b097cfc,

title = "Sedimentary Markers of Ocean Plateau Volcanism during the Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Events",

abstract = "The Cretaceous Period saw numerous profound environmental perturbations, including the Early Aptian (\textasciitilde{}120 Ma) and Cenomanian–Turonian (\textasciitilde{}94 Ma) Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs). The causal mechanisms of these OAEs remain debated, but were likely linked to large-scale volcanic activity that occurred during the emplacement of ocean plateaus (e.g., Greater Ontong–Java and Caribbean plateaus) into/onto the oceanic crust. However, radiositopic dating of these volcanics is hindered by the limited sampling of submarine ocean plateau rocks. Consequently, establishing a coincidence between the OAEs and volcanism relies on investigating volcanic markers in the sedimentary records of the associated climate/palaeoceanographic events. We present multiproxy records of mercury (Hg) contents, and osmium- (Os) and lead- (Pb) isotope ratios from several stratigraphic archives of both the Aptian and Cenomanian OAEs. Osisotope ratios have previously been shown to reliably document volcanic activity and/or other basalt-seawater interactions in records of both OAEs. By contrast, Hg contents and Pb-isotope ratios show much more variation across different geographical areas, potentially due to local effects superimposed on a global signal. Moreover, Hg and Os trends do not reliably correlate for either event, and the Cenomanian OAE shows little evidence for Hg enrichment at all. These results suggest that the three proxies highlight different aspects of large-scale volcanism that operated at various times during the two OAEs.",

author = "Percival, \{Lawrence M.E.\} and L.R. Tedeschi and R.A. Creaser and \{van Helmond\}, N.A.G.M. and Christophe Snoeck and V. Debaille and Nadine Mattielli and Cinzia Bottini and E. Erba and Steven Goderis and Mather, \{Tamsin A.\} and Jenkyns, \{Hugh C.\} and Philippe Claeys",

year = "2019",

month = aug,

day = "20",

language = "English",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - Sedimentary Markers of Ocean Plateau Volcanism during the Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Events

AU - Percival, Lawrence M.E.

AU - Tedeschi, L.R.

AU - Creaser, R.A.

AU - van Helmond, N.A.G.M.

AU - Snoeck, Christophe

AU - Debaille, V.

AU - Mattielli, Nadine

AU - Bottini, Cinzia

AU - Erba, E.

AU - Goderis, Steven

AU - Mather, Tamsin A.

AU - Jenkyns, Hugh C.

AU - Claeys, Philippe

PY - 2019/8/20

Y1 - 2019/8/20

N2 - The Cretaceous Period saw numerous profound environmental perturbations, including the Early Aptian (~120 Ma) and Cenomanian–Turonian (~94 Ma) Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs). The causal mechanisms of these OAEs remain debated, but were likely linked to large-scale volcanic activity that occurred during the emplacement of ocean plateaus (e.g., Greater Ontong–Java and Caribbean plateaus) into/onto the oceanic crust. However, radiositopic dating of these volcanics is hindered by the limited sampling of submarine ocean plateau rocks. Consequently, establishing a coincidence between the OAEs and volcanism relies on investigating volcanic markers in the sedimentary records of the associated climate/palaeoceanographic events. We present multiproxy records of mercury (Hg) contents, and osmium- (Os) and lead- (Pb) isotope ratios from several stratigraphic archives of both the Aptian and Cenomanian OAEs. Osisotope ratios have previously been shown to reliably document volcanic activity and/or other basalt-seawater interactions in records of both OAEs. By contrast, Hg contents and Pb-isotope ratios show much more variation across different geographical areas, potentially due to local effects superimposed on a global signal. Moreover, Hg and Os trends do not reliably correlate for either event, and the Cenomanian OAE shows little evidence for Hg enrichment at all. These results suggest that the three proxies highlight different aspects of large-scale volcanism that operated at various times during the two OAEs.

AB - The Cretaceous Period saw numerous profound environmental perturbations, including the Early Aptian (~120 Ma) and Cenomanian–Turonian (~94 Ma) Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs). The causal mechanisms of these OAEs remain debated, but were likely linked to large-scale volcanic activity that occurred during the emplacement of ocean plateaus (e.g., Greater Ontong–Java and Caribbean plateaus) into/onto the oceanic crust. However, radiositopic dating of these volcanics is hindered by the limited sampling of submarine ocean plateau rocks. Consequently, establishing a coincidence between the OAEs and volcanism relies on investigating volcanic markers in the sedimentary records of the associated climate/palaeoceanographic events. We present multiproxy records of mercury (Hg) contents, and osmium- (Os) and lead- (Pb) isotope ratios from several stratigraphic archives of both the Aptian and Cenomanian OAEs. Osisotope ratios have previously been shown to reliably document volcanic activity and/or other basalt-seawater interactions in records of both OAEs. By contrast, Hg contents and Pb-isotope ratios show much more variation across different geographical areas, potentially due to local effects superimposed on a global signal. Moreover, Hg and Os trends do not reliably correlate for either event, and the Cenomanian OAE shows little evidence for Hg enrichment at all. These results suggest that the three proxies highlight different aspects of large-scale volcanism that operated at various times during the two OAEs.

M3 - Abstract

ER -

Sedimentary Markers of Ocean Plateau Volcanism during the Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Events

Abstract

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