Millennial-timescale thermogenic CO2 release preceding the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

Shijun Jiang; Ying Cui; Yasu Wang; Maurizia De Palma; B. David A. Naafs; Jingxin Jiang; Xiumian Hu; Huaichun Wu; Runjian Chu; Yangguang Gu; Jiuyuan Wang; Yizhou Huang; Miquela Ingalls; Timothy J. Bralower; Shiling Yang; James C. Zachos; Andy Ridgwell

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-60939-3

Millennial-timescale thermogenic CO₂ release preceding the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

Shijun Jiang, Ying Cui, Yasu Wang, Maurizia De Palma, B. David A. Naafs, Jingxin Jiang, Xiumian Hu, Huaichun Wu, Runjian Chu, Yangguang Gu, Jiuyuan Wang, Yizhou Huang, Miquela Ingalls, Timothy J. Bralower, Shiling Yang, James C. Zachos, Andy Ridgwell

Geosciences

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

Abstract

Geologic records support a short-lived carbon release, known as the pre-onset excursion (POE), shortly before the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; ~ 56 Ma). However, the source and pace of the POE carbon release and its relationship to the PETM remain unresolved. Here we show a high-temporal-resolution stratigraphic record spanning the POE and PETM from the eastern Tethys Ocean that documents the evolution of surface ocean carbon cycle, redox and eutrophication, confirming the global nature of the POE. Biomarkers extracted from the sedimentary record indicate a smaller environmental perturbation during the POE than that during the PETM in the eastern Tethys Ocean. Earth system modeling constrained by observed δ¹³C and pH data indicates that the POE was driven by a largely thermogenic CO₂ source, likely associated with sill intrusions prior to the main eruption phase of the North Atlantic Igneous Province and possibly biogeochemical feedbacks involving the release of biogenic methane.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	5375
Journal	Nature communications
Volume	16
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60939-3
State	Published - Dec 2025

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

General Chemistry
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Physics and Astronomy

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1038/s41467-025-60939-3

Cite this

Jiang, S., Cui, Y., Wang, Y., De Palma, M., Naafs, B. D. A., Jiang, J., Hu, X., Wu, H., Chu, R., Gu, Y., Wang, J., Huang, Y., Ingalls, M., Bralower, T. J., Yang, S., Zachos, J. C., & Ridgwell, A. (2025). Millennial-timescale thermogenic CO₂ release preceding the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. Nature communications, 16(1), Article 5375. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60939-3

@article{7eb9ac7871c8420f808a2e9a58dc3b94,

title = "Millennial-timescale thermogenic CO2 release preceding the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum",

abstract = "Geologic records support a short-lived carbon release, known as the pre-onset excursion (POE), shortly before the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; \textasciitilde{} 56 Ma). However, the source and pace of the POE carbon release and its relationship to the PETM remain unresolved. Here we show a high-temporal-resolution stratigraphic record spanning the POE and PETM from the eastern Tethys Ocean that documents the evolution of surface ocean carbon cycle, redox and eutrophication, confirming the global nature of the POE. Biomarkers extracted from the sedimentary record indicate a smaller environmental perturbation during the POE than that during the PETM in the eastern Tethys Ocean. Earth system modeling constrained by observed δ13C and pH data indicates that the POE was driven by a largely thermogenic CO2 source, likely associated with sill intrusions prior to the main eruption phase of the North Atlantic Igneous Province and possibly biogeochemical feedbacks involving the release of biogenic methane.",

author = "Shijun Jiang and Ying Cui and Yasu Wang and \{De Palma\}, Maurizia and Naafs, \{B. David A.\} and Jingxin Jiang and Xiumian Hu and Huaichun Wu and Runjian Chu and Yangguang Gu and Jiuyuan Wang and Yizhou Huang and Miquela Ingalls and Bralower, \{Timothy J.\} and Shiling Yang and Zachos, \{James C.\} and Andy Ridgwell",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1038/s41467-025-60939-3",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "16",

journal = "Nature communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Millennial-timescale thermogenic CO2 release preceding the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

AU - Jiang, Shijun

AU - Cui, Ying

AU - Wang, Yasu

AU - De Palma, Maurizia

AU - Naafs, B. David A.

AU - Jiang, Jingxin

AU - Hu, Xiumian

AU - Wu, Huaichun

AU - Chu, Runjian

AU - Gu, Yangguang

AU - Wang, Jiuyuan

AU - Huang, Yizhou

AU - Ingalls, Miquela

AU - Bralower, Timothy J.

AU - Yang, Shiling

AU - Zachos, James C.

AU - Ridgwell, Andy

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Geologic records support a short-lived carbon release, known as the pre-onset excursion (POE), shortly before the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; ~ 56 Ma). However, the source and pace of the POE carbon release and its relationship to the PETM remain unresolved. Here we show a high-temporal-resolution stratigraphic record spanning the POE and PETM from the eastern Tethys Ocean that documents the evolution of surface ocean carbon cycle, redox and eutrophication, confirming the global nature of the POE. Biomarkers extracted from the sedimentary record indicate a smaller environmental perturbation during the POE than that during the PETM in the eastern Tethys Ocean. Earth system modeling constrained by observed δ13C and pH data indicates that the POE was driven by a largely thermogenic CO2 source, likely associated with sill intrusions prior to the main eruption phase of the North Atlantic Igneous Province and possibly biogeochemical feedbacks involving the release of biogenic methane.

AB - Geologic records support a short-lived carbon release, known as the pre-onset excursion (POE), shortly before the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; ~ 56 Ma). However, the source and pace of the POE carbon release and its relationship to the PETM remain unresolved. Here we show a high-temporal-resolution stratigraphic record spanning the POE and PETM from the eastern Tethys Ocean that documents the evolution of surface ocean carbon cycle, redox and eutrophication, confirming the global nature of the POE. Biomarkers extracted from the sedimentary record indicate a smaller environmental perturbation during the POE than that during the PETM in the eastern Tethys Ocean. Earth system modeling constrained by observed δ13C and pH data indicates that the POE was driven by a largely thermogenic CO2 source, likely associated with sill intrusions prior to the main eruption phase of the North Atlantic Igneous Province and possibly biogeochemical feedbacks involving the release of biogenic methane.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105009997224

UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=105009997224&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-025-60939-3

DO - 10.1038/s41467-025-60939-3

M3 - Article

C2 - 40588499

AN - SCOPUS:105009997224

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 16

JO - Nature communications

JF - Nature communications

IS - 1

M1 - 5375

ER -