Cryogenian Glaciation and the Onset of Carbon-Isotope Decoupling

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1184508
• Publication Date: 2010-04-29T18:53:59Z
• Authors: Nicholas L. Swans...; Catherine V. Rose; Claire C. Calmet; Galen P. Halverson; Matthew T. Hurtgen; Adam C. Maloof
• Keywords: Decoupling (probability)

Global carbon cycle perturbations throughout Earth history are frequently linked to changing paleogeography, glaciation, ocean oxygenation, and biological innovation. A pronounced carbonate carbon-isotope excursion during the Ediacaran Period (635 542 million years ago), accompanied by invariant or decoupled organic values, has been explained with a model that relies on large oceanic reservoir of carbon. We present matter data demonstrate no decoupling from approximately 820 760 ago complete between Sturtian Marinoan glacial events Cryogenian (approximately 720 635 ago). Growth pool may be related iron-rich sulfate-poor deep-ocean conditions facilitated an increase in Fe:S ratio riverine flux after removal long-lived continental regolith.