Carbon isotopes and the rise of atmospheric oxygen

Research Article| October 01, 1996 Carbon isotopes and the rise of atmospheric oxygen Juha A. Karhu; Juha A. Karhu 1Geological Survey of Finland, FIN-02150 Espoo, Finland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Heinrich D. Holland Heinrich D. Holland 2Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Juha A. Karhu 1Geological Survey of Finland, FIN-02150 Espoo, Finland Heinrich D. Holland 2Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1996) 24 (10): 867–870. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1996)0242.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Juha A. Karhu, Heinrich D. Holland; Carbon isotopes and the rise of atmospheric oxygen. Geology 1996;; 24 (10): 867–870. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1996)0242.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract New data for the isotopic composition of carbon in carbonate sediments deposited between 2.6 and 1.6 Ga indicate that the value of δ13C in these sediments underwent a very large positive excursion between 2.22 and 2.06 Ga. A reassessment of the earlier δ13C data for carbonate sediments shows that this excursion was probably worldwide, and that it was preceded and followed by several hundred million years during which the δ13C of carbonate sediments differed little from that of modern carbonates. The large δ13C excursion between 2.22 and 2.06 Ga was probably related to an abnormally high rate of organic carbon deposition, which generated an abnormally high rate of O2 production. We estimate that the total excess O2 produced during the excursion was between 12 and 22 times the present atmospheric O2 inventory. The δ13C data therefore suggest that the O2 content of the atmosphere increased very significantly between 2.22 and 2.06 Ga. This inference is supported strongly by several other lines of evidence. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.