Volcanic and orbitally forced carbon release during the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum

Yiquan Ma; Majie Fan; Chen Zhang; Stephen E. Grasby; Runsheng Yin; Yangbo Lu; Bolin Zhang; Xin Jin; Chao Ma; Yongchao Lu; Appy Sluijs

doi:10.1130/G52435.1

Volcanic and orbitally forced carbon release during the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum

Yiquan Ma^*, Majie Fan, Chen Zhang, Stephen E. Grasby, Runsheng Yin, Yangbo Lu, Bolin Zhang, Xin Jin, Chao Ma, Yongchao Lu, Appy Sluijs

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The drivers of the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO) remain enigmatic. Here we report a high-resolution terrestrial MECO record from the Bohai Bay Basin, eastern China. The record shows episodic Hg enrichments and a volcanogenic Δ¹⁹⁹Hg signature during the MECO, and an abrupt chemical weathering enhancement and negative δ¹³C_org excursion (CIE) during the MECO peak warmth. A high-resolution age model constrains the MECO to ca. 40.59−40.18 Ma with the onset in the first ∼320 k.y. Peak warmth and the CIE initiated at 40.27 Ma, corresponding to 405 k.y. and 100 k.y. eccentricity maxima, and lasted for ∼90 k.y., reminiscent of the early Eocene hyperthermals. Our findings suggest that episodic volcanism contributed to gradual atmospheric pCO₂ rise, leading to the long duration of the MECO onset. Orbital forcing at 40.27 Ma, on top of CO₂ forcing, caused the peak warmth and a positive carbon cycle feedback. The regional increase in weathering is inconsistent with evidence for weakened global continental weathering, suggesting strong spatial heterogeneity in the weathering response to MECO warming.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	813-818
Number of pages	6
Journal	Geology
Volume	52
Issue number	11
Early online date	30 Jul 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1130/G52435.1
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Geological Society of America. For permission to copy, contact [email protected].

Funding

We thank the Shengli Oilfield Company (SINOPEC) for providing samples. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants 42172181, 41802175) and the Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province (grant 2022NSFSC1075) We thank editor Urs Schaltegger and five anonymous reviewers for valuable and constructive comments.

Funders	Funder number
SINOPEC Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute
Shengli Oilfield Company
National Natural Science Foundation of China	41802175, 42172181
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province	2022NSFSC1075
Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province

Keywords

Mercury

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g52435.1Final published version, 1.17 MBLicence: Taverne

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abstract = "The drivers of the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO) remain enigmatic. Here we report a high-resolution terrestrial MECO record from the Bohai Bay Basin, eastern China. The record shows episodic Hg enrichments and a volcanogenic Δ199Hg signature during the MECO, and an abrupt chemical weathering enhancement and negative δ13Corg excursion (CIE) during the MECO peak warmth. A high-resolution age model constrains the MECO to ca. 40.59−40.18 Ma with the onset in the first ∼320 k.y. Peak warmth and the CIE initiated at 40.27 Ma, corresponding to 405 k.y. and 100 k.y. eccentricity maxima, and lasted for ∼90 k.y., reminiscent of the early Eocene hyperthermals. Our findings suggest that episodic volcanism contributed to gradual atmospheric pCO2 rise, leading to the long duration of the MECO onset. Orbital forcing at 40.27 Ma, on top of CO2 forcing, caused the peak warmth and a positive carbon cycle feedback. The regional increase in weathering is inconsistent with evidence for weakened global continental weathering, suggesting strong spatial heterogeneity in the weathering response to MECO warming.",

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Volcanic and orbitally forced carbon release during the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum

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