Carbon isotope evidence for the stepwise oxidation of the Proterozoic environment

David J.Des Marais; Harald Strauss; Roger E. Summons; J. M. Hayes

Carbon isotope evidence for the stepwise oxidation of the Proterozoic environment

David J.Des Marais^*, Harald Strauss, Roger E. Summons, J. M. Hayes

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

399 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The oxidation of the Earth's crust and the increase in atmospheric oxygen early in Earth history have been linked to the accumulation of reduced carbon in sedimentary rocks. Trends in the carbon isotope composition of sedimentary organic carbon and carbonate show that during the Proterozoic aeon (2.5-0.54 Gyr ago) the organic carbon reservoir grew in size, relative to the carbonate reservoir. This increase, and the concomitant release of oxidizing power in the environment, occurred mostly during episodes of global rifting and orogeny.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	605-609
Number of pages	5
Journal	Nature
Volume	359
Issue number	6396
Publication status	Published - 1992

Cite this

@article{eed99154cdf149a58bad25a5e530be6f,

title = "Carbon isotope evidence for the stepwise oxidation of the Proterozoic environment",

abstract = "The oxidation of the Earth's crust and the increase in atmospheric oxygen early in Earth history have been linked to the accumulation of reduced carbon in sedimentary rocks. Trends in the carbon isotope composition of sedimentary organic carbon and carbonate show that during the Proterozoic aeon (2.5-0.54 Gyr ago) the organic carbon reservoir grew in size, relative to the carbonate reservoir. This increase, and the concomitant release of oxidizing power in the environment, occurred mostly during episodes of global rifting and orogeny.",

author = "Marais, {David J.Des} and Harald Strauss and Summons, {Roger E.} and Hayes, {J. M.}",

year = "1992",

language = "English",

volume = "359",

pages = "605--609",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Groups",

number = "6396",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Carbon isotope evidence for the stepwise oxidation of the Proterozoic environment

AU - Marais, David J.Des

AU - Strauss, Harald

AU - Summons, Roger E.

AU - Hayes, J. M.

PY - 1992

Y1 - 1992

N2 - The oxidation of the Earth's crust and the increase in atmospheric oxygen early in Earth history have been linked to the accumulation of reduced carbon in sedimentary rocks. Trends in the carbon isotope composition of sedimentary organic carbon and carbonate show that during the Proterozoic aeon (2.5-0.54 Gyr ago) the organic carbon reservoir grew in size, relative to the carbonate reservoir. This increase, and the concomitant release of oxidizing power in the environment, occurred mostly during episodes of global rifting and orogeny.

AB - The oxidation of the Earth's crust and the increase in atmospheric oxygen early in Earth history have been linked to the accumulation of reduced carbon in sedimentary rocks. Trends in the carbon isotope composition of sedimentary organic carbon and carbonate show that during the Proterozoic aeon (2.5-0.54 Gyr ago) the organic carbon reservoir grew in size, relative to the carbonate reservoir. This increase, and the concomitant release of oxidizing power in the environment, occurred mostly during episodes of global rifting and orogeny.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027009337&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Article

C2 - 11536507

AN - SCOPUS:0027009337

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 359

SP - 605

EP - 609

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 6396

ER -

Carbon isotope evidence for the stepwise oxidation of the Proterozoic environment

Abstract

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this