Isotopic evidence for massive oxidation of organic matter following the great oxidation event

Lee R. Kump; Christopher Junium; Michael A. Arthur; Alex Brasier; Anthony Fallick; Victor Melezhik; Aivo Lepland; Alenka E. Črne; Genming Luo

doi:10.1126/science.1213999

Isotopic evidence for massive oxidation of organic matter following the great oxidation event

Lee R. Kump, Christopher Junium, Michael A. Arthur, Alex Brasier, Anthony Fallick, Victor Melezhik, Aivo Lepland, Alenka E. Črne, Genming Luo

Geosciences

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Abstract

The stable isotope record of marine carbon indicates that the Proterozoic Eon began and ended with extreme fluctuations in the carbon cycle. In both the Paleoproterozoic [2500 to 1600 million years ago (Ma)] and Neoproterozoic (1000 to 542 Ma), extended intervals of anomalously high carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C) indicate high rates of organic matter burial and release of oxygen to the atmosphere; in the Neoproterozoic, the high δ¹³C interval was punctuated by abrupt swings to low δ¹³C, indicating massive oxidation of organic matter. We report a Paleoproterozoic negative δ¹³C excursion that is similar in magnitude and apparent duration to the Neoproterozoic anomaly. This Shunga-Francevillian anomaly may reflect intense oxidative weathering of rocks as the result of the initial establishment of an oxygen-rich atmosphere.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1694-1696
Number of pages	3
Journal	Science
Volume	334
Issue number	6063
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1213999
State	Published - Dec 23 2011

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title = "Isotopic evidence for massive oxidation of organic matter following the great oxidation event",

abstract = "The stable isotope record of marine carbon indicates that the Proterozoic Eon began and ended with extreme fluctuations in the carbon cycle. In both the Paleoproterozoic [2500 to 1600 million years ago (Ma)] and Neoproterozoic (1000 to 542 Ma), extended intervals of anomalously high carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) indicate high rates of organic matter burial and release of oxygen to the atmosphere; in the Neoproterozoic, the high δ13C interval was punctuated by abrupt swings to low δ13C, indicating massive oxidation of organic matter. We report a Paleoproterozoic negative δ13C excursion that is similar in magnitude and apparent duration to the Neoproterozoic anomaly. This Shunga-Francevillian anomaly may reflect intense oxidative weathering of rocks as the result of the initial establishment of an oxygen-rich atmosphere.",

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AU - Kump, Lee R.

AU - Junium, Christopher

AU - Arthur, Michael A.

AU - Brasier, Alex

AU - Fallick, Anthony

AU - Melezhik, Victor

AU - Lepland, Aivo

AU - Črne, Alenka E.

AU - Luo, Genming

PY - 2011/12/23

Y1 - 2011/12/23

N2 - The stable isotope record of marine carbon indicates that the Proterozoic Eon began and ended with extreme fluctuations in the carbon cycle. In both the Paleoproterozoic [2500 to 1600 million years ago (Ma)] and Neoproterozoic (1000 to 542 Ma), extended intervals of anomalously high carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) indicate high rates of organic matter burial and release of oxygen to the atmosphere; in the Neoproterozoic, the high δ13C interval was punctuated by abrupt swings to low δ13C, indicating massive oxidation of organic matter. We report a Paleoproterozoic negative δ13C excursion that is similar in magnitude and apparent duration to the Neoproterozoic anomaly. This Shunga-Francevillian anomaly may reflect intense oxidative weathering of rocks as the result of the initial establishment of an oxygen-rich atmosphere.

AB - The stable isotope record of marine carbon indicates that the Proterozoic Eon began and ended with extreme fluctuations in the carbon cycle. In both the Paleoproterozoic [2500 to 1600 million years ago (Ma)] and Neoproterozoic (1000 to 542 Ma), extended intervals of anomalously high carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) indicate high rates of organic matter burial and release of oxygen to the atmosphere; in the Neoproterozoic, the high δ13C interval was punctuated by abrupt swings to low δ13C, indicating massive oxidation of organic matter. We report a Paleoproterozoic negative δ13C excursion that is similar in magnitude and apparent duration to the Neoproterozoic anomaly. This Shunga-Francevillian anomaly may reflect intense oxidative weathering of rocks as the result of the initial establishment of an oxygen-rich atmosphere.

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Isotopic evidence for massive oxidation of organic matter following the great oxidation event

Abstract

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