A large and mostly volcanic carbon source drove the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (NERC grant NE/H017356/1)

Global warming during the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ~56 Ma) is commonly interpreted as being driven by massive destabilization of carbon from surficial sedimentary reservoirs. If correct, this has important implications for the amplification of future fossil fuel emissions via carbon-climate feedbacks. In our study we provided new paired records of boron and carbon isotope changes in the ocean that questions this long-held interpretation. Our data are implemented in an Earth system model to reconstruct the unfolding carbon cycle dynamics across the event. Strong evidence for a larger (>10,000 PgC) and on average isotopically heavier (> -17‰) carbon source leads us to identify volcanism associated with the North Atlantic Igneous Province as the main driver of the PETM. We also find that although organic carbon feedbacks with climate played a more minor role in driving the event than previously thought, organic matter burial was important in ultimately sequestering this carbon and driving the recovery of the system. Data presented in this data set comprise geochemical elemental, as well as boron, carbon and oxygen isotopic data from surface dwelling foraminifera Morozovella Subbotina. Alongside the boron isotopic data we also provide reconstructed surface water pH with corresponding uncertainties for our preferred pH reconstruction.

Date (Creation): 2017-06-29

Citation identifier: http://data.bgs.ac.uk/id/dataHolding/13607191

Point of contact

Organisation name	Individual name	Electronic mail address	Role
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel	Marcus Gutjahr	not available	Originator
British Geological Survey	Enquiries	not available	Distributor
British Geological Survey	Enquiries	not available	Point of contact

Maintenance and update frequency: notApplicable

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

Mineral Resources

BGS Thesaurus of Geosciences

Boron isotopes
Carbon cycle
Climatology
Oceans
pH value
Carbon capture and storage
Acidification
NGDC Deposited Data
Palaeoclimatology
Sea water

dataCentre

NGDC Deposited Data

Keywords

NERC_DDC

Access constraints: Other restrictions

Other constraints: no limitations

Other constraints: The dataset is made freely available for access, e.g. via the Internet. Either no third party data / information is contained in the dataset or BGS has secured written permission from the owner(s) of any third party data / information contained in the dataset to make the dataset freely accessible.

Use constraints: Other restrictions

Other constraints: The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, via the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Manager. Use by customers of information provided by the BGS, is at the customer's own risk. In view of the disparate sources of information at BGS's disposal, including such material donated to BGS, that BGS accepts in good faith as being accurate, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the quality or accuracy of the information supplied, or to the information's suitability for any use. NERC/BGS accepts no liability whatever in respect of loss, damage, injury or other occurence however caused.

Other constraints: Available under the Open Government Licence subject to the following acknowledgement accompanying the reproduced NERC materials "Contains NERC materials ©NERC [year]"

Language: English

Topic category

Geoscientific information

Geographic identifier: BAY OF BISCAY [id=2001371]
British Geological Survey Gazetteer: Gazetteer of sea areas 2010 revision

Begin date: 2010-11-01

End date: 2015-01-05

Supplemental Information: Our dataset comprises the geological time span surrounding the PETM, with first data dating back to ~56.25 Ma and the last data points dating back to ~55.3 Ma. The key onset of this event occurred circa 55.8 Ma ago. This work is still under review at the journal Nature, for which reason we ask to embargo the data until our manuscript is accepted as premature addition of our data to the respective database may lead to rejection of our manuscript.

Reference System Information

No information provided.

Distribution format

Name	Version
MS Excel

Distributor contact

Organisation name	Individual name	Electronic mail address	Role
British Geological Survey	Enquiries	not available	Distributor

OnLine resource

Protocol	Linkage	Name
	https://www.bgs.ac.uk/services/ngdc/accessions/index.html?#item77069

OnLine resource

Protocol	Linkage	Name
	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature23646

Hierarchy level: Dataset

Other: dataset

Conformance result

Title: INSPIRE Implementing rules laying down technical arrangements for the interoperability and harmonisation of Mineral Resources

Date (Publication): 2011

Explanation: See the referenced specification

Pass: No

Conformance result

Title: Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services

Date (Publication): 2010-12-08

Explanation: See http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:323:0011:0102:EN:PDF

Pass: No

Statement: Data produced within the frame of NERC grant no. NE/H017356/1 cover the classic open northeast Atlantic DSDP Site 401 (47° 25.65’ N, 08° 48.62’ W, 2495 m). From this site, around 2 mg of the 250-300 mm size fraction of mixed-layer dweller Morozovella subbotinae were picked for the carbon, oxygen and boron isotopic analyses. Furthermore, over the studied interval, very high-resolution Oxygen 18 and Carbon 13 analyses of bulk carbonate were conducted to establish a revised age model for Site 401. Following the analysis and data reduction, generated surface ocean pH records were implemented into the GENIE Earth System Model to reconstruct the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration evolution over this event.