The methane (CH4) cycle is a key component of the Earth system that links planetary climate, biological metabolism, and the global biogeochemical cycles of carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and hydrogen. ...However, currently lacking is a numerical model capable of simulating a diversity of environments in the ocean, where CH4 can be produced and destroyed, and with the flexibility to be able to explore not only relatively recent perturbations to Earth's CH4 cycle but also to probe CH4 cycling and associated climate impacts under the very low-O2 conditions characteristic of most of Earth's history and likely widespread on other Earth-like planets. Here, we present a refinement and expansion of the ocean–atmosphere CH4 cycle in the intermediate-complexity Earth system model cGENIE, including parameterized atmospheric O2–O3–CH4 photochemistry and schemes for microbial methanogenesis, aerobic methanotrophy, and anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). We describe the model framework, compare model parameterizations against modern observations, and illustrate the flexibility of the model through a series of example simulations. Though we make no attempt to rigorously tune default model parameters, we find that simulated atmospheric CH4 levels and marine dissolved CH4 distributions are generally in good agreement with empirical constraints for the modern and recent Earth. Finally, we illustrate the model's utility in understanding the time-dependent behavior of the CH4 cycle resulting from transient carbon injection into the atmosphere, and we present model ensembles that examine the effects of atmospheric pO2, oceanic dissolved SO42-, and the thermodynamics of microbial metabolism on steady-state atmospheric CH4 abundance. Future model developments will address the sources and sinks of CH4 associated with the terrestrial biosphere and marine CH4 gas hydrates, both of which will be essential for comprehensive treatment of Earth's CH4 cycle during geologically recent time periods.
Large amounts of 13C‐depleted carbon were released to the oceans and atmosphere during a period of abrupt global warming at the Paleocene‐Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) (∼55 Ma). Investigations of ...qualitative sedimentologic and paleontologic redox proxies such as bioturbation and benthic assemblages from pelagic and hemipelagic sections suggest transient reductions in bottom water oxygen during this interval, possibly on a global scale. Here, we present bulk sediment manganese (Mn) and uranium (U) enrichment factors (EF) in Atlantic and Pacific deep‐sea cores to constrain relative paleoredox changes across the PETM. Mn EF range from 1 to 9 in Atlantic sites, 1 to 35 in Southern Ocean sites, and are at crustal averages (EF = 1) in Pacific sites. U EF range from 1 to 5 in Atlantic sites, 1 to 90 in Southern Ocean sites, and are at crustal averages in Pacific sites. Our results indicate suboxic conditions prior to, during, and in the recovery from the PETM at intermediate depth sites in the Atlantic and Southern Ocean while the Pacific sites remained relatively oxygenated. The difference in oxygenation between the Atlantic and Pacific sites leads us to suggest the source for isotopically light carbon release during the PETM was in the Atlantic.
Key Points
We measure concentrations of Mn and U in marine PETM sediments
North Atlantic bottom waters were suboxic relative to the Pacific during the PETM
The source of methane release during the PETM was likely in the North Atlantic
The methane cycle is a key component of the Earth system that links planetary climate, biological metabolism, and the global biogeochemical cycles of carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and hydrogen. However, ...currently lacking is a numerical model capable of simulating a diversity of environments in the ocean where methane can be produced and destroyed, and with the flexibility to be able to explore not only relatively recent perturbations to Earth's methane cycle but also to probe methane cycling and associated climate impacts under the reducing conditions characteristic of most of Earth history and likely widespread on other Earth-like planets. Here, we present an expansion of the ocean-atmosphere methane cycle in the intermediate-complexity Earth system model cGENIE, including parameterized atmospheric photochemistry and schemes for microbial methanogenesis, aerobic methanotrophy, and anaerobic oxidation of methane. We describe the model framework, compare model parameterizations against modern observations, and illustrate the flexibility of the model through a series of example simulations. Though we make no attempt to rigorously tune default model parameters, we find that simulated atmospheric methane levels and marine dissolved methane distributions are generally in good agreement with empirical constraints for the modern and recent Earth. Finally, we illustrate the model's utility in understanding the time-dependent behavior of the methane cycle resulting from transient carbon injection into the atmosphere, and present model ensembles that examine the effects of oceanic chemistry and the thermodynamics of microbial metabolism on steady-state atmospheric methane abundance.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and climate are regulated on geological timescales by the balance between carbon input from volcanic and metamorphic outgassing and its removal by weathering ...feedbacks; these feedbacks involve the erosion of silicate rocks and organic-carbon-bearing rocks. The integrated effect of these processes is reflected in the calcium carbonate compensation depth, which is the oceanic depth at which calcium carbonate is dissolved. Here we present a carbonate accumulation record that covers the past 53 million years from a depth transect in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. The carbonate compensation depth tracks long-term ocean cooling, deepening from 3.0-3.5 kilometres during the early Cenozoic (approximately 55 million years ago) to 4.6 kilometres at present, consistent with an overall Cenozoic increase in weathering. We find large superimposed fluctuations in carbonate compensation depth during the middle and late Eocene. Using Earth system models, we identify changes in weathering and the mode of organic-carbon delivery as two key processes to explain these large-scale Eocene fluctuations of the carbonate compensation depth.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and climate are regulated on geological timescales by the balance between carbon input from volcanic and metamorphic outgassing and its removal by weathering ...feedbacks; these feedbacks involve the erosion of silicate rocks and organic-carbon-bearing rocks. The integrated effect of these processes is reflected in the calcium carbonate compensation depth, which is the oceanic depth at which calcium carbonate is dissolved. Here we present a carbonate accumulation record that covers the past 53 million years from a depth transect in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. The carbonate compensation depth tracks long-term ocean cooling, deepening from 3.0-3.5 kilometres during the early Cenozoic (approximately 55 million years ago) to 4.6 kilometres at present, consistent with an overall Cenozoic increase in weathering. We find large superimposed fluctuations in carbonate compensation depth during the middle and late Eocene. Using Earth system models, we identify changes in weathering and the mode of organic-carbon delivery as two key processes to explain these large-scale Eocene fluctuations of the carbonate compensation depth.
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