Wilson, Paul and Opdyke, Bradley (1996) Equatorial sea-surface temperatures for the Maastrichtian revealed through remarkable preservation of metastable carbonate. Geology, 24 (6), 555–558. (doi:10.1130/0091-7613(1996)024<0555:ESSTFT>2.3.CO;2).
Abstract
The classic paleotemperature record based on d18O data from pelagic foraminiferalcalcite suggests that equatorial sea-surface temperatures during the Maastrichtian (;12–20 &C) were much cooler than today (;27–29 &C). Such cool equatorial temperatures contradict basic theories of tropical atmospheric and ocean dynamics. We report d18O datafrom remarkably well preserved rudist aragonite and magnesian calcite cements of Maastrichtian age (;69 6 1 Ma) from the carbonate platform of Wodejebato guyot in thewestern Pacific. These data suggest that equatorial sea-surface temperatures in the Maastrichtian (best estimate ;27–32 &C) were at least as warm as today. This finding helps reconcile the geologic d18O record with ocean-atmospheric dynamic theory and implies a reduction in the poleward heat flux required by global climate simulations of greenhouse conditions.
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