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Titel |
A normalised seawater strontium isotope curve: possible implications for Neoproterozoic-Cambrian weathering rates and the further oxygenation of the Earth |
VerfasserIn |
G. A. Shields |
Medientyp |
Artikel
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Sprache |
Englisch
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ISSN |
1815-381X
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Digitales Dokument |
URL |
Erschienen |
In: eEarth ; 2, no. 2 ; Nr. 2, no. 2 (2007-07-18), S.35-42 |
Datensatznummer |
250000523
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Publikation (Nr.) |
copernicus.org/ee-2-35-2007.pdf |
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Zusammenfassung |
The strontium isotope composition of seawater is strongly influenced
on geological time scales by changes in the rates of continental weathering
relative to ocean crust alteration. However, the potential of the seawater
87Sr/86Sr curve to trace globally integrated
chemical weathering rates has not been fully realised because ocean 87Sr/86Sr is also influenced by the isotopic
evolution of Sr sources to the ocean. A preliminary attempt is made here to
normalise the seawater 87Sr/86Sr curve to
plausible trends in the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the
three major Sr sources: carbonate dissolution, silicate weathering and
submarine hydrothermal exchange. The normalised curve highlights the
Neoproterozoic-Phanerozoic transition as a period of exceptionally high
continental influence, indicating that this interval was characterised by a
transient increase in global weathering rates and/or by the weathering of
unusually radiogenic crustal rocks. Close correlation between the normalised
87Sr/86Sr curve, a published seawater δ34S curve and atmospheric pCO2 models is used
here to argue that elevated chemical weathering rates were a major
contributing factor to the steep rise in seawater
87Sr/86Sr from 650 Ma to 500 Ma. Elevated
weathering rates during the Neoproterozoic-Cambrian interval led to
increased nutrient availability, organic burial and to the further
oxygenation of Earth's surface environment. Use of normalised seawater
87Sr/86Sr curves will, it is hoped, help to
improve future geochemical models of Earth System dynamics. |
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