0000000000204645
AUTHOR
Yves Goddéris
A mechanism for brief glacial episodes in the Mesozoic greenhouse
[1] The Mesozoic, perhaps the longest period of warmth during the Phanerozoic Earth history, has been repeatedly affected by short-lived cold interludes lasting about one million years. While the origin of these cold snaps has been classically attributed to a temporary atmospheric CO2 drawdown, quantified mechanisms explaining these instabilities of the carbon cycle are still lacking. Based on a climate carbon cycle model, we show that the general demise of carbonate platforms accompanying these short-lived cold interludes is a powerful mechanism capable of generating a fast atmospheric CO2 decrease and a moderate sea level drop associated with ice sheet buildup. The temporary nature of the…
Le cycle du carbone à l’échelle des temps géologiques.
2 pages; National audience
Le climat de la Terre à l’échelle des temps géologiques.
2 pages; National audience