Sudden Ancient Global Warming Event Traced to Magma Flood
A study has cemented the link between an intense global warming episode 56 million years ago and volcanism in the North Atlantic, with implications for modern climate change.
Roughly 60 million years ago, circulation changes deep within our planet generated a hot current of rock — the Iceland plume — causing it to rise from the heart of Earth’s mantle. When the mantle rock pierced the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean, lava spurted across Scotland, Ireland and Greenland, scabbing into spectacular columned landscapes like the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland and Scotland’s Fingal’s Cave.
That opening salvo was followed 4 million years later by a second gigantic pulse of hot mantle rock, which once again rode up the Iceland plume. It swelled under the seafloor and lifted a wide region of ocean floor between Greenland and Europe into the air, forming a temporary land bridge connecting Scotland and Greenland.
Under the surface, the mantle blob melted, turning from solid rock to fluid magma. The magma then bled, bruise-like, through sediments. As the magma spread, it formed thousands of horizontal sheets known as sills that cooked organic matter in the sediments. This cooking produced methane and carbon dioxide gas that burst through vents in the seafloor. As sheet after sheet of magma bled into the expanding bruise for millennia, more and more gas bubbled from the ocean like a boiling pot.
Evidence indicates that suspiciously close in time to all that igneous activity, the planet warmed by 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit). In this ancient warming event, known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, or PETM, land suffered intense downpours, while ocean acidification and heat drove many marine species extinct. Many land animals went extinct as well and were replaced by dwarf species. The Arctic had alligators, giant tortoises, and vegetation typical of Florida today, and sea levels were around 300 feet higher than now.
The PETM has preoccupied climate scientists since its discovery in the early 1990s because of its parallels to today’s climate change, including a temperature jump, ocean acidification, a huge shift in the atmospheric carbon level, and a profound effect on life. To produce those effects, a massive reservoir of carbon — around 10 trillion tons by recent estimates — must have been pumped into the sky. But what was that carbon store? How could it be released so fast, and could a similar carbon reservoir be poised to amplify our current warming today?
“If we can understand … the closest analogue that we’ve got in the past hundred million years, then we’re going to be in a better shape to think about what’s going to happen in our lifetimes,” said Stephen Jones, a geologist at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
Because many of the North Atlantic’s volcanic features, which scientists collectively call the “North Atlantic Igneous Province,” formed concurrently with the PETM, they are a candidate for the cause of the warming. But coincidence isn’t causation, and there have been good scientific reasons to doubt that the volcanic activity could have caused the climate change. Recently, a paper by Jones and his collaborators in Birmingham removed the last major doubt and showed that igneous activity was indeed the principal driver of the warming.
The Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland is a geologic feature consisting of thousands of interlocking basalt columns that formed from volcanic eruptions 60 million years ago. Penelope Kan
The Wrong Kind of Carbon
Although a great deal of North Atlantic volcanism happened close in time to the PETM, scientists were initially skeptical that it could have driven the warming. Sedimentary layers that formed at the time had the wrong kind of carbon — they were rich in the isotope carbon-12, indicating an organic carbon source rather than a volcanic one. The leading theory was that fluctuations in Earth’s orbit around the sun melted a type of frozen methane just beneath the seabed called methane clathrates. Yet scientists found scant evidence that enough clathrates existed in the pre-PETM world, or that they could have melted fast enough to drive the warming.
A possible missing link between the North Atlantic Igneous Province and organic carbon was spotted in 2004 in seismic scans through the seabed off the coast of Norway. When Henrik Svensen of the University of Oslo and colleagues analyzed recorded echoes from air blasts produced by oil exploration ships, they saw vents leading upward from sills that formed around the time of the PETM.
They reasoned that the vents resulted from hot sills baking organic detritus, which is rich in carbon-12. This would have generated methane and carbon dioxide. The gases would have erupted through the seabed and ocean and into the atmosphere, driving the PETM. More vents have since been spotted on both sides of the Atlantic, and samples have been drilled from one of them. Similar vents in Siberia and in South Africa have been linked to global warming in different periods of Earth’s history — the Permian and the Jurassic respectively.
Still, few thought that igneous activity could act fast enough. Geologists thought the sills formed over a few million years, whereas fossilized sediments show it took just a few thousand years to start the PETM.
The Birmingham team has closed that gap. They found that with the Iceland plume, as Jones put it, “you can turn the tap on … in five to ten thousand years.”
Cooking Organic
In earlier work on V-shaped ridges of lava near Iceland, Jones had shown that pulses of hot mantle periodically ride up the Iceland plume, pushing up adjacent tectonic plates. Jones called the ridges “a smoking gun” proving that such pulses happen, but unfortunately, the ridges do not go back to the time of the PETM.
For more clues, Jones and his colleagues turned to the Forties Sandstone Member near Scotland. A target for oil drilling, the Forties Sandstone Member has been extensively studied, drilled and seismically scanned by the oil industry, allowing geologists to work out that it formed from the eroded remains of the land bridge between Scotland and Greenland that was uplifted from the Atlantic 56 million years ago, coincident with the PETM. “We can see marine sediments being uplifted and exposed above the sea level,” said study co-author Tom Dunkley Jones.
Gas, probably including carbon dioxide, rises from the Brimstone hydrothermal vent on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. Submarine ROF 2006, NOAA Vents Program
That uplift is a clear sign of the giant pulse of mantle arriving beneath the crust, and differences in the timing of the uplift at different locations told the Birmingham team how fast the subsurface magma “bruise” spread.
But to figure out how much organic matter the underground sills would have cooked up, the scientists first had to find and measure them. That task fell to Stephen Jones’ former graduate students Murray Hoggett and Karina Fernandez, who scrutinized tens of thousands of square kilometers of seismic scans to infer that there are between 11,000 and 18,000 sills in the region.
“Until we had that database of geometries and dimensions, we couldn’t even tell you how fast or how regular [the sills] needed to be to get to the right carbon release,” said Sarah Greene, a co-author.
The scientists then combined a standard oil-industry model for calculating the rate at which individual sills generated gas with a statistical technique called Monte Carlo simulation to calculate the rate at which the sills would emit gas collectively.
“Each sill is small and generates a small amount of carbon,” Greene explained. “You need a bunch to be active at the same time to sum up to the kinds of total release that we see.”
Igneous Trigger
Remarkably, the team’s calculated emissions agree with independent estimates of the carbon release during the PETM calculated from isotopes in 56-million-year-old sediments. “The fact that it overlaps quite nicely is … quite powerful,” said Greene.
The Birmingham group’s work has changed the minds of several previously pro-clathrate scientists. One such expert, the geoscientist Lee Kump of Pennsylvania State University, called the new study “compelling evidence” that the North Atlantic Igneous Province is “the trigger for, and main mechanism of, carbon emission during the PETM. Methane clathrate involvement is not needed.” Similarly, James Zachos of the University of California, Santa Cruz, who discovered some of the earliest evidence for the PETM and formerly attributed the event to methane clathrates, said he now sees igneous activity as “the trigger and main source of carbon.” Appy Sluijs of Utrecht University agreed: “Volcanism could certainly have triggered the event.”
Clathrates or permafrost may have amplified the warming, they say, but the new study strongly suggests that igneous activity dominated.
Two-dimensional seismic scan of part of Rockall Basin, a geologic feature northwest of Scotland. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12957-1
In contrast, Richard Zeebe of the University of Hawaii, Manoa stands by his previous opinion that the PETM and later warm episodes coincided with times when Earth’s orbit around the sun would have delivered extra solar warmth. “The PETM is part of a long series of hyperthermals,” he said, “and invoking a special trigger for one — say volcanism for the PETM — but not for all others seems illogical.”
Other scientists say those subsequent hyperthermals are just the normal orbital drumbeat found in sediments throughout geological time, whereas the PETM was twice as big, much more abrupt, and out of sync with orbits, indicating a different cause.
Confirmation of the igneous origin of the PETM has important implications for modern climate change.
For instance, it jibes with just-published work that concludes that methane clathrates and permafrost probably won’t contribute as much to future warming as some scientists have feared. The findings about the PETM also suggest that our understanding of how the planet responds to large additions of carbon is broadly reliable through the last 60 million years and into the future.
But in the short term, we’re in uncharted territory. Even though far more carbon was emitted during the PETM than we are likely to emit, its multi-millennial timeframe gave Earth’s processes time to work against it, avoiding more extreme warming.
“It’s over an order of magnitude faster — what we are doing today — compared to the peak of the PETM,” said Greene.
Read more at www.quantamagazine.org
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James Edward Kamis
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Mr. H. Lee,
You may want to review the following article “How Major Geological Events End So-Called Glacial Periods” posted on May 19, 2019 in the Plate Climatology Theory Website (http://www.plateclimatology.com/how-major-geological-events-end-so-called-glacial-periods).
This article duscusses how major 100,000 year pulses of geologically induced seafloor heated magma / lava emitted from major seafloor faults (Plate Boundaries) end the maximum lateral extent of Glacial Periods.
Of special ineterst is the artilce’s graph illustrating how these pulses of geologiclly innduced heat act to affect oceans, atmospere ( CO2 concentrations and temperature changes) and earth’s climate. The graph also illustartes that immediatly following the rapid retreat to minimum ice of Glacial Period ice earth then begins to its recover to it’s “Normal” climate. A climate that quite different than what we are currently experincing.
The contentions of this article also have significant imlpications connerning the validity of the Global Waming / Climate Theory. Specifically, that geological events, most notably changes in our atmosphere and oceans control our climate NOT human induced emissions of CO2.
Regards,
J. E. Kamis
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Michael Clarke
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Geothermal activity in great quantities exist way up there in the high northern latitudes. One of those has a very strong geological history of creating death and destruction in ancient times. The Siberian Traps are NOT extinct or even dormant, the Hot spot beneath them has been moving North for hundreds of millions of years. Did anyone not consider the implications?
Geothermal warming of the entire Arctic ocean could create a global Ice age! Reduce sea levels by hundreds of meters, put many cubic KM of water into the atmosphere as a vapor which cause it to SNOW for decades, resulting in ICE kilometers thick in northern latitudes.
When the geothermal activity reduces significantly and the Artic ocean re-freezes sea levels rise and we are back to ‘Normal’ ie: modern coastlines.
This cycle takes a hundred thousand years or so to repeat!
Michael Logician
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Jerry Krause
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Hi James,
If you go to (https://follow.mosaic-expedition.org/) you will find a ‘map’ on which the drift of an ice breaker is being traced during the mosaic-expediation project. If you look at this map on March 2 and enlarge image and then scroll the image until you find the group of islands to the right of Greenland whose north end is north of 80 deg N latitude. There you will find a open water surface surrounded by either ice or island. I consider this open water, this far north, can only be explained by localized geothermal warming.
And if you scroll back to January 1 you will find areas of open water about the group of small island north of 80N and well inside the edge of the ice located at lower latitudes. Again, I consider this open water can only be explained by ‘localized geothermal warming”.
Have a good day, Jerry
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James Edward Kamis
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Mr. J. Krause,
You are ferfering to the Svalbard Islands. They are located adjacent to a major seafloor fault / Plate Boundary termed the Mid-Atlantic Rift which extends 14,000 miles from Antarctica to the north end of the Arctic Ocean. Many portions of this rift have been research proven to be super-hotspots. The most relevant to the Svalbard Isalnds is the 1,000 mile long Jan Mayen Trend. This trend has been the focus of sevrael research studies by a noted Swedish University. Their research has proven that the seafloor Jan Mayen trend is home to hundreds and possibly thousands of actively heat and super-heated chemically charged emissions seafloor volcanoes (seamounts) and hydrothermal vents (seafloor super heated geysers).
The northen end of the Jan Mayen trend ends at the Svalbard Islands. Several articles in the Plate Climatology Theory website refer to heat flow from this segment of the rift that effect the Svalbard Islands. Heat flow that is melting Arctic Sea Ice and selected land glaciers in and around the Svalbards. if you refer to Google Earth Maper you can clearly see the major fault and associated lsecondary rift faults in the Svalbard area.
It is very clear that melting of sea ice and land glacial ice the Svalbard Island area is the result of geologically induced heat flow and NOT human induced alteration of ocean currents.
Most scientists accept the idea that deep ocean currents in the northern extent of Atlantic Ocean act to capture very deep warm seawater and then transport these warm waters north to the Svalbards Island area thereby melting ice. This is a very complex and unlikely hypothesis which has been accepted as 100% proof of Global Warming / Climate Change.
A much logical and straight forward explatnton is that geological forces are at work in the Svalbards.
Regards,
J. E. Kamis
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Joseph Olson
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Earth’s fission based, geothermal energy is NOT constant, and NOT trivial, a fact ignored by Chicken Little climaclownology.
“Volcanic CO2” by Timothy Casey at Geologist-1011(.)net
“Earth’s Missing Geothermal Flux” at FauxScienceSlayer(.)com
Articles in Publication at PSI by Dr Arthur Viterito
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Case Smit
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Without delving into deep scientific discussions, it seems to me that episodes of upwelling magma will heat the oceans and hence the atmosphere and that the eventual CO2 releases raise the atmospheric CO2 concentration.
This would seem to correspond to the Vostok ice core findings, namely that the atmosphere warmed well ahead of the elevated atmospheric CO2 levels. Hence atmospheric CO2 may not have any direct influence on the temperature of the atmosphere.
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Fellows,
Hopefully James understanding my purpose was to add simple observed evidence of the geothermal basis of his understanding. This because it not evidence of something which happened years ago but instead is actually happening as we write.
And I still do not know if any one of you are following the MOSAiC expedition which is the largest Arctic expedition ever. Where scientists are actually measuring super-heated chemically charged (carbon dioxide and methane) emissions that reach the surfaces of the leads which form in the ice sheets.
We all make mistakes but a fact is James made a boner in (https://principia-scientific.com/geothermal-link-to-u-s-east-coast-ocean-warming-trend/). Of which I have no idea if James realizes that he made. All I know is he has not acknowledged this to me in an email to which he knows the address. For the comments to Jame’s article turned out to be closed when I tried to submit my comment. It is there now.
Now, relative to the Arctic Ocean, I went to the internet and asked: what Russian Rivers flow into the Arctic Ocean? And found: “The Arctic Ocean receives a large amount of fresh water from river runoff relative to its area, compared to other oceans. There are five major rivers that flow into the Arctic, the Mackenzie and Yukon in North America, and the three largest in Asia, the Ob, Yenisey and Lena Rivers.” (Arctic Change – Land: Riverswww.pmel.noaa.gov › arctic-zone › detect › land-river)
I ask: What is wrong with this answer of which NOAA is the source? It is the fact that the Yukon does not drain (flow) into the Arctic Ocean. It drains into the Pacific Ocean. As I said we all make mistakes but when we make a boner like James and NOAA did, it should hurt their creditably if the mistake is not immediately acknowledged by its source.
And in the case of the Arctic Ocean, it seems everyone should acknowledge that the fresh river water which flows out of the Arctic must eventually flow out of the Arctic Ocean as ‘salt’ water. This is not a theory but an observed fact and any understanding of the circulation of water in the Arctic Ocean must include this fact. And it seems another observed fact that some warm surface water must be flowing southward between Greenland and Norway during the Arctic winter. For open water is observed to extend northward beyond 80N at the beginning of March. And I believe any explanation of how any warm water associated with the Gulf Stream reached beyond 80N at any level of the Arctic has to be very complex ‘double talk’.
Now I must state that this river water was not the reason I asked: what Russian Rivers flow into the Arctic Ocean? For I was considering that which I am sure could be observed if ice breakers were positioned during the polar winter at the mouths of the three major Russian rivers. Which much cold continental surface atmosphere off of the huge north slope of Asia drains over the eventual ice sheets of the ocean. For I have the idea that it is this surface atmosphere which is one factor which causes the ice sheet to drift. The other factor is the centrifugal effect. For land blocks the motion of the ice sheets caused by its influence in all directions except that of the space between Greenland and Norway.
Now, I could go on to further develop this simple idea which needs more development for the pieces of the puzzle still need to be organized better. Hopefully you get the idea.
Have a good day, Jerry
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Jerry Krause
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And I again see I have, unintentionally made a mistake, or more, to give any reader a reason to ignore what I have just written if they so desire..
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Michael Clarke
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I am reliably informed that a logician cannot think like a scientist. Thank heavens for that!
The Cold Fresh water just a fraction above freezing that flows into the Arctic Ocean from Russia in winter will indeed heat the Arctic ocean by a flea bite or so. The surface of the ice floating upon that ocean will be rather cold. The SALT Water below that ice will be at around minus 3 degrees as the ice is mere meters thick.
It wont take much for that cold fresh water to warm leads close to the mouths of those rivers. Is this where those leads form?
Do those leads form in the same place every year?
Can the weather influence where those leads form?
Why is Novya Zembla not scarred with fjords?
Because the Arctic ocean is relatively the same temperature all year round. Geothermal heating can be the only reason that the ice is not much, much, thicker.
Yes I often ask questions to which I know the answers!
Michael Logician
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Michael,
You wrote: “Yes I often ask questions to which I know the answers!” First please tell us how it is that you know the answers to the questions you ask. Then please tell us the answers to the questions which you asked to which you know the answers. Do Logicians all like to play games?
Have a good day, Jerry
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