Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
LIP eruptions could initiate a cycle of increasing CO
2
and global warming
followed by increased weathering, declining CO
2
and global cooling.
20.10 Summary
LIP eruptions are capable of perturbing Earth systems via many mechanisms that
are not relevant to smaller eruptions. The geologic record provides increasing
evidence that CO
2
and other greenhouse gases released by ancient LIP eruptions
may have triggered episodes of global warming (Joachimski
et al
.,
2012
; Schaller
et al
.,
2011
; Sun
et al
.,
2012
). Models and geochemical records also hint at the
possibility of sustained sulfur-induced cooling, acid rain, ozone depletion, and/or
shifts in silicate weathering.
The rapidly improving resolution of proxy records for palaeo-temperature,
atmospheric conditions, biodiversity and geochemical cycling will support an
improved understanding of the environmental consequences of LIPs through deep
time. Comprehensive Earth system models must continue to work to fully repro-
duce and explain this complex geologic record.
Acknowledgements
This work was funded by grant EAR-0807585 from NSF Continental Dynamics.
The CESM project is supported by the National Science Foundation and the Of
ce
of Science (BER) of the US Department of Energy. NCAR is operated by the
University Corporation of Atmospheric Research under sponsorship of the
National Science Foundation. A review by Paul Wignall improved this manuscript.
The authors gratefully thank Stephanie Shearer and Brenda Carbone.
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