Continental Paleotemperatures From An Early Cretaceous Dolomitic Lake, Gansu Province, China

• DOI: 10.2110/jsr.2017.31
• Publication Date: 2017-05-11T09:54:18Z
• Authors: Marina B. Suarez; Gregory A. Ludvigson; Luis A. González; Hai-Lu You
• Keywords: 13. Climate action; 15. Life on land; 01 natural sciences; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Abstract: The Lower Cretaceous strata of Asia are renowned for abundant fossil resources. These can also offer a wealth quantitative data regarding the paleoclimate and paleoenvironment terrestrial Cretaceous, an important transition in Earth history. Many modern groups organisms that dominate ecosystems today originated or expanded Early Cretaceous. In addition, Period, known to have been characterized by greenhouse climate, provides opportunities understand how climate system functioned during states. Here we utilize clumped-isotope paleothermometer provide paleotemperature records from lacustrine sequence northwestern China, previously constrained early Aptian. Petrographic X-ray diffraction analyses indicate lake sediments produced primary diagenetic dolomites, likely microbially mediated due high organic-matter input seasonally warm arid conditions. majority dolomitic carbonates formed pore waters just below sediment–water interface as shallow-water precipitates. Clumped-isotope-derived temperatures all range 20.6°C dolomites 47.2°C late-burial calcite cements. Accounting seasonal biases, mean annual air calculated averaged 20.2°C. This is broadly consistent with local proxy evidence climate-model estimates. presented further constraints on world, well insights into depositional settings produce low-temperature dolomites.