Did Late Cretaceous cooling trigger the Campanian–Maastrichtian Boundary Event?

Abstract

Abstract. The Campanian-Maastrichtian (83-66 Ma) was a period of global climate cooling, featuring significant negative carbon-isotope (δ 13 C) anomalies, such as the Late Campanian Event (LCE) and the Campanian-Maastrichtian Boundary Event (CMBE). A variety of factors, including changes in temperature, oceanic circulation and gateway opening, have been invoked to explain these δ 13 C perturbations, but no precise mechanism has yet been well constrained. In order to improve our understanding of these events, we measured stable carbon and oxygen isotopes of hemipelagic sediments from the Shuqualak-Evans cored borehole (Mississippi, USA) and compared the data with previously published sea-surface temperature (SST) estimates from the same core. We found that the CMBE can be recognised, unambiguously, in the ShuqualakEvans core, and that it is associated with an interval of cooler SSTs suggesting a possible mechanistic link between palaeotemperature change and this event. Determining the precise position of the LCE in the Shuqualak-Evans core is more problematic, but it may also be associated with cooler SSTs. Our combined records of carbon cycling and SSTs compare well with other studies and provide evidence that cooling during the CMBE (and possibly LCE) was global in nature and affected surface waters, in addition to the deep-ocean. We suggest that short-term cooling drove intensification of high-latitude deep-water formation, which in turn led to changes in the ratio of carbonate to organic carbon burial that led to a negative δ 13 C excursion. Critically, the absence of warming during these intervals implies that the Late Cretaceous events must not have been associated with an appreciable increase in atmospheric pCO 2 , and was likely associated with decreased pCO 2 .

Late Cretaceous to Palaeogene carbon isotope, calcareous nannofossil and foraminifera stratigraphy of the Chalk Group, Central North Sea

“…J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f records from different oceans and palaeoenvironments, measured on both marine and terrestrial materials (Jenkyns et al 1994;Jarvis et al 2002;2006;Voigt et al 2010;Wendler et al 2013;Surlyk et al 2013;Joo and Sageman, 2014;Eldrett et al 2015b;Thibault et al 2016aThibault et al , 2016bPerdiou et al 2016;Chenot et al, 2016Chenot et al, , 2018Linnert et al 2018;Farouk et al 2018;Razmjooei et al 2018…”

Coniacian–Campanian palynology, carbon isotopes and clay mineralogy of the Poigny borehole (Paris Basin) and its correlation in NW Europe

“…Correlation of the Poigny δ 13 C carb profile with carbon isotope curves for equivalent aged successions from the southern North Sea Basin at Trunch, eastern England [Figure 1; Jarvis et al, 2002, Jenkyns et al, 1994, Linnert et al, 2018, and from Lägerdorf in the North German Basin shows remarkably similar trends and δ 13 C carb values (Figure 2). This enables the correlation of the overall long-term trends and short-term positive and negative excursions, with the recognition of all previously named carbon isotope events (CIEs) defined for the upper Coniacian-Campanian [Jarvis Jarvis et al [2002Jarvis et al [ , 2006, Linnert et al [2018], Perdiou et al [2016], and Thibault et al [2016]. Ages from GTS2020 [Gale et al, 2020].…”

“…Co, Coniacian; l, lower; m, middle; u, upper; Kronsm., Kronsmoor Formation. , Linnert et al, 2018, Perdiou et al, 2016. The three most significant CIEs: Santonian-Campanian Boundary Event (SCaBE); Mid-Campanian Event (MCaE); and Late Campanian Event (LCaE), are named by reference to their subage positions [cf.…”

Late Cretaceous Paleoceanographic Evolution and the Onset of Cooling in the Santonian at Southern High Latitudes (IODP Site U1513, SE Indian Ocean)

“…Low to high latitude paleotemperature estimates for the Late Cretaceous, mainly based on global stable oxygen isotopes (δ 18 O) and TEX 86 compilations, reveal a similar trend that highlights extreme warmth during the Cenomanian‐Turonian, some amelioration but continued warmth through the Coniacian‐Santonian, and progressive cooling extending through the Campanian and into the Maastrichtian (e.g., Ando et al., 2013; Bornemann et al., 2008; Clarke & Jenkyns, 1999; Cramer et al., 2011, 2009; Douglas & Savin, 1975; Friedrich et al., 2012; Huber et al., 2002, 1995, 2018; Jarvis et al., 2011; Jenkyns et al., 1994; Linnert et al., 2018, 2014; MacLeod et al., 2013; Moriya, 2011; Norris & Wilson, 1998; O’Brien et al., 2017; Pucéat et al., 2005; Savin, 1977; Schouten et al., 2003; Scotese et al., 2021; Steuber et al., 2005; Takashima et al., 2006; van Helmond et al., 2014; Voigt et al., 2004). Specifically, the transition from the hothouse of the latest Cenomanian and Turonian into the coolhouse of the late Campanian and Maastrichtian is reported to occur in concert with a number of global changes that affected the ocean‐climate system and Earth’s biota.…”