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PALEOCEANOGRAPHY

Tropical Pacific Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum(~55Ma) Isotope and Mg/Ca Data

Map of data site
Zachos, J.C., M.W. Wara, S. Bohaty, M.L. Delaney, M.R. Petrizzo, A. Brill, T.J. Bralower, I. Premoli-Silva. 2003. A Transient Rise in Tropical Sea Surface Temperature During the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. Science, Vol. 302, 1551-1554.
Data Coverage North: 32.65 * South: 32.65
West: 158.5 * East: 158.5
Altitude: -2387 m

Data:     Please Cite Data Contributors!
  zachos2003
  o1209b-z-tab.txt

Summary:

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) has been attributed to a rapid rise in greenhouse gas levels. If so, warming should have occurred at all latitudes, although amplified toward the poles. Existing records reveal an increase in high-latitude sea surface temperatures (SSTs) (8° to 10°C) and in bottom water temperatures (4° to 5°C). To date, however, the character of the tropical SST response during this event remains unconstrained. Here we address this deficiency by using paired oxygen isotope and minor element (magnesium/calcium) ratios of planktonic foraminifera from a tropical Pacific core to estimate changes in SST. Using mixed-layer foraminifera, we found that the combined proxies imply a 4° to 5°C rise in Pacific SST during the PETM. These results would necessitate a rise in atmospheric pCO2 to levels three to four times as high as those estimated for the late Paleocene.
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Parameters:

Delta d18O PDB (Acarinina soldadoensis); Delta d13C PDB (Morozovella velascoensis); Delta d13C PDB (Acarinina soldadoensis); Magnesium/Calcium ratio (Acarinina soldadoensis); Magnesium/Calcium ratio (Morozovella velascoensis); Delta d18O PDB (Morozovella velascoensis)

Complete XML Record:

noaa-ocean-2652  (Last Revised: 2007-12-21 )

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