High resolution benthic stable-isotope records from ODP Site 1263 and 1262

DOI

Recent studies have shown that the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO) was preceded by a series of short-lived global warming events, known as hyperthermals. Here we present high-resolution benthic stable carbon and oxygen isotope records from ODP Sites 1262 and 1263 (Walvis Ridge, SE Atlantic) between ~54 and ~52 million years ago, tightly constraining the character, timing, and magnitude of six prominent hyperthermal events. These events, which include Eocene Thermal Maximum (ETM) 2 and 3, are studied in relation to orbital forcing and long-term trends. Our findings reveal an almost linear relationship between d13C and d18O for all these hyperthermals, indicating that the eccentricity-paced co-variance between deep-sea temperature changes and extreme perturbations in the exogenic carbon pool persisted during these events towards the onset of the EECO, in accord with previous observations for the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and ETM2. The covariance of d13C and d18O during H2 and I2, which are the second pulses of the "paired" hyperthermal events ETM2-H2 and I1-I2, deviates with respect to the other events. We hypothesize that this could relate to a relatively higher contribution of an isotopically heavier source of carbon, such as peat or permafrost, and/or to climate feedbacks/local changes in circulation. Finally, the d18O records of the two sites show a systematic offset with on average 0.2 per mil heavier values for the shallower Site 1263, which we link to a slightly heavier isotopic composition of the intermediate water mass reaching the northeastern flank of the Walvis Ridge compared to that of the deeper northwestern water mass at Site 1262.

Supplement to: Lauretano, Vittoria; Littler, Kate; Polling, M; Zachos, James C; Lourens, Lucas Joost (2015): Frequency, magnitude and character of hyperthermal events at the onset of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum. Climate of the Past, 11(10), 1313-1324

Identifier
DOI https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.854822
Related Identifier https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-1313-2015
Metadata Access https://ws.pangaea.de/oai/provider?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=datacite4&identifier=oai:pangaea.de:doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.854822
Provenance
Creator Lauretano, Vittoria ORCID logo; Littler, Kate; Polling, M ORCID logo; Zachos, James C ORCID logo; Lourens, Lucas Joost ORCID logo
Publisher PANGAEA
Publication Year 2015
Rights Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
OpenAccess true
Representation
Language English
Resource Type Supplementary Publication Series of Datasets; Collection
Format application/zip
Size 4 datasets
Discipline Earth System Research
Spatial Coverage (1.577W, -28.533S, 2.780E, -27.186N)
Temporal Coverage Begin 2003-03-24T00:00:00Z
Temporal Coverage End 2003-04-05T00:00:00Z