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Ocean carbon storage across the middle Miocene: a new interpretation for the Monterey Event

Ocean carbon storage across the middle Miocene: a new interpretation for the Monterey Event
Ocean carbon storage across the middle Miocene: a new interpretation for the Monterey Event

The Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO, 14–17 Ma) was ~3–4 °C warmer than present, similar to estimates for 2100. Coincident with the MCO is the Monterey positive carbon isotope (δ13C) excursion, with oceans more depleted in 12C relative to 13C than any time in the past 50 Myrs. The long-standing Monterey Hypothesis uses this excursion to invoke massive marine organic carbon burial and draw-down of atmospheric CO2 as a cause for the subsequent Miocene Climate Transition and Antarctic glaciation. However, this hypothesis cannot explain the multi-Myr lag between the δ13C excursion and global cooling. We use planktic foraminiferal B/Ca, δ11B, δ13C, and Mg/Ca to reconstruct surface ocean carbonate chemistry and temperature. We propose that the MCO was associated with elevated oceanic dissolved inorganic carbon caused by volcanic degassing, global warming, and sea-level rise. A key negative feedback of this warm climate was the organic carbon burial on drowned continental shelves.

2041-1723
Sosdian, S.M.
718c374a-7460-4c7e-a616-f93b1f0a46a5
Babila, T.L.
a59f9473-d145-4d43-92c0-ea682f29fdcc
Greenop, R.
5df72b3c-b3c2-42b2-938a-c98d80708025
Foster, G.L.
fbaa7255-7267-4443-a55e-e2a791213022
Lear, C.H.
c0caf74d-ed6c-4b04-b5c8-de8fc794943c
Sosdian, S.M.
718c374a-7460-4c7e-a616-f93b1f0a46a5
Babila, T.L.
a59f9473-d145-4d43-92c0-ea682f29fdcc
Greenop, R.
5df72b3c-b3c2-42b2-938a-c98d80708025
Foster, G.L.
fbaa7255-7267-4443-a55e-e2a791213022
Lear, C.H.
c0caf74d-ed6c-4b04-b5c8-de8fc794943c

Sosdian, S.M., Babila, T.L., Greenop, R., Foster, G.L. and Lear, C.H. (2020) Ocean carbon storage across the middle Miocene: a new interpretation for the Monterey Event. Nature Communications, 11 (1), [134]. (doi:10.1038/s41467-019-13792-0).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO, 14–17 Ma) was ~3–4 °C warmer than present, similar to estimates for 2100. Coincident with the MCO is the Monterey positive carbon isotope (δ13C) excursion, with oceans more depleted in 12C relative to 13C than any time in the past 50 Myrs. The long-standing Monterey Hypothesis uses this excursion to invoke massive marine organic carbon burial and draw-down of atmospheric CO2 as a cause for the subsequent Miocene Climate Transition and Antarctic glaciation. However, this hypothesis cannot explain the multi-Myr lag between the δ13C excursion and global cooling. We use planktic foraminiferal B/Ca, δ11B, δ13C, and Mg/Ca to reconstruct surface ocean carbonate chemistry and temperature. We propose that the MCO was associated with elevated oceanic dissolved inorganic carbon caused by volcanic degassing, global warming, and sea-level rise. A key negative feedback of this warm climate was the organic carbon burial on drowned continental shelves.

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Accepted/In Press date: 15 November 2019
e-pub ahead of print date: 9 January 2020
Published date: 9 January 2020

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 444602
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/444602
ISSN: 2041-1723
PURE UUID: 7a3d0dc1-2f2c-4e94-9807-585805cde0d9
ORCID for T.L. Babila: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9948-9341
ORCID for G.L. Foster: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3688-9668

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Date deposited: 27 Oct 2020 19:52
Last modified: 06 Jun 2024 02:03

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Contributors

Author: S.M. Sosdian
Author: T.L. Babila ORCID iD
Author: R. Greenop
Author: G.L. Foster ORCID iD
Author: C.H. Lear

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