GEOL766: Earth Systems Change

Discussion T6: Thursday, Nov. 13 and Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008: Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM)

A. The overall features of PETM and the methane hypothesis:
1. Dickens, G.R., Castillo, M.M., and Walker, J.C.G., 1997, A blast of gas in the latest Paleocene; simulating first-order effects of massive dissociation of oceanic methane hydrate: Geology, v. 25, p. 259-262.
2. Katz, M.E., Pak, D.K., Dickens, G.R., and Miller, K.G., 1999, The Source and Fate of Massive Carbon Input During the Latest Paleocene Thermal Maximum: Science, v. 286, p. 1531-1533.
3. Bains, S., Corfield, R.M., and Norris, R.D., 1999, Mechanisms of Climate Warming at the End of the Paleocene: Science, v. 285, p. 724-727.

B. The duration of the PETM event:
4. Rohl, U., Bralower, T.J., Norris, R.D., and Wefer, G., 2000, New chronology for the late Paleocene thermal maximum and its environmental implications: Geology, v. 28, p. 927-930.
5. Farley, K.A., and Eltgroth, S.F., 2003, An alternative age model for the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum using extraterrestrial ³He: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 208, p. 135-148.
6. Rohl, U., Westerhold, T., Bralower, T.J., and Zachos, J.C., 2007, On the duration of the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM): Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, v. 8, p. Q12002.

C. The marine and terrestrial record of PETM:
7. Magioncalda, R., Dupuis, C., Smith, T., Steurbaut, E., and Gingerich, P.D., 2004, Paleocene-Eocene carbon isotope excursion in organic carbon and pedogenic carbonate; direct comparison in a continental stratigraphic section: Geology, v. 32, p. 553-556.
8. Tripati, A., and Elderfield, H., 2005, Deep-Sea Temperature and Circulation Changes at the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum: Science, v. 308, p. 1894-1898.
9. Wing, S.L., Harrington, G.J., Smith, F.A., Bloch, J.I., Boyer, D.M., and Freeman, K.H., 2005, Transient Floral Change and Rapid Global Warming at the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary: Science, v. 310, p. 993-996.
10. Smith, F.A., Wing, S.L., and Freeman, K.H., 2007, Magnitude of the carbon isotope excursion at the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum: The role of plant community change: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 262, p. 50-65.
11. Bowen, G.J., and Beitler Bowen, B., 2008, Mechanisms of PETM global change constrained by a new record from central Utah: Geology, v. 36, p. 379-382.

D. The trigger for methane hydrate destabilization or themogenic methane:
Comet impact
12. Kent, D.V., Cramer, B.S., Lanci, L., Wang, D., Wright, J.D., and Van der Voo, R., 2003, A case for a comet impact trigger for the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum and carbon isotope excursion: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 211, p. 13-26.
       Dickens, G.R., and Francis, J.M., 2003, Comment on "A case for a comet impact trigger for the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum and carbon isotope excursion" by D.V. Kent et al. [Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 211 (2003) 13-26]: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 217, p. 197-200.
       Kent, D.V., Cramer, B.S., Lanci, L., Wang, D., Wright, J.D., and Van der Voo, R., 2003, Reply to a comment on "A case for a comet impact trigger for the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum and carbon isotope excursion" by G.R. Dickens and J.M. Francis: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 217, p. 201-205.

Climate forcing
13. Schmidt, G.A., and Shindell, D.T., 2003, Atmospheric composition, radiative forcing, and climate change as a consequence of a massive methane release from gas hydrates: Paleoceanography, v. 18, p. 4.1-4.9.

Igneous intrusion and themogenic methane and CO2
14. Svensen, H., Planke, S., Malthe-Sorenssen, A., Jamtveit, B., Myklebust, R., Rasmussen Eidem, T., and Rey, S.S., 2004, Release of methane from a volcanic basin as a mechanism for initial Eocene global warming: Nature, v. 429, p. 542-545.

Biomass combustion
15. Moore, E.A., and Kurtz, A.C., 2008, Black carbon in Paleocene-Eocene boundary sediments: A test of biomass combustion as the PETM trigger: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 267, p. 147-152.

Organic carbon oxidation
16. Higgins, J.A., and Schrag, D.P., 2006, Beyond methane: Towards a theory for the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 245, p. 523-537.

E. Methane release and ocean carbonate dissolution:
17. Zachos, J.C., Rohl, U., Schellenberg, S.A., Sluijs, A., Hodell, D.A., Kelly, D.C., Thomas, E., Nicolo, M., Raffi, I., Lourens, L.J., McCarren, H., and Kroon, D., 2005, Rapid Acidification of the Ocean During the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum: Science, v. 308, p. 1611-1615.
18. Panchuk, K., Ridgwell, A., and Kump, L.R., 2008, Sedimentary response to Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum carbon release: A model-data comparison: Geology, v. 36, p. 315-318.

F. Temporal relationship between warming and isotope record:
19. Thomas, D.J., Zachos, J.C., Bralower, T.J., Thomas, E., and Bohaty, S., 2002, Warming the fuel for the fire; evidence for the thermal dissociation of methane hydrate during the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum: Geology, v. 30, p. 1067-1070.
20. Sluijs, A., Brinkhuis, H., Schouten, S., Bohaty, S.M., John, C.M., Zachos, J.C., Reichart, G.-J., Sinninghe Damste, J.S., Crouch, E.M., and Dickens, G.R., 2007, Environmental precursors to rapid light carbon injection at the Palaeocene/Eocene boundary: Nature, v. 450, p. 1218-1221.

G. Time constraints on methane hydrate formation and release:
21. Dickens, G.R., 2003, Rethinking the global carbon cycle with a large, dynamic and microbially mediated gas hydrate capacitor: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 213, p. 169-183.