WAS THERE AN INCREASE IN EXPORT PRODUCTIVITY OF THE BIOLOGICAL PUMP DURING THE EOCENE THERMAL MAXIMUM THREE?
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Date
2018-12
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Research was conducted to see if there was an increase in export productivity of the biological pump during the hyperthermal event Eocene Thermal Maximum Three (ETM3). The largest hyperthermal event was the Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), approximately 56 million years ago. Samples obtained from the Ocean Drilling Program were used to determine the amount of barite accumulating in each sample. The samples were studied under the scanning electron microscope to determine barite purity, which was over 95% barite. A rapid increase and then a decline in the barite accumulation rate was found with a general increase over the interval measured. The lowest barite accumulation rate occurred at the deepest depth studied, which was a depth of 188.14 meters below seafloor (mbsf). A negative carbon isotope excursion occurred at a depth of 187.65 mbsf suggesting a hyperthermal event at this time (ETM3). The data shows that there was an increase in export productivity during the hyperthermal event studied (ETM3).
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Eocene hyperthermal barite carbon