Evidence for the transition to an oxygen-rich atmosphere during the evolution of red beds in the lower proterozoic sequences of southern Africa

Eriksson, P.G.; Cheney, Eric S.

doi:10.1016/0301-9268(92)90073-w

Cited by 80 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Geochronological data indicate that the S1 UBS of Soutpansberg Group and ''W'' unconformity bounded sequence of the Waterberg Groups were deposited before %1.88À1.87 Ga and we infer the same applies for S1 in the Palapye Group as earlier suggested by Cheney et al (1990). The S1 of the Palapye and Soutpansberg Groups have haematite coatings on grains making them red beds sensu stricto (Eriksson and Cheney, 1992).…”

Section: Sample Vr111/99mentioning

confidence: 99%

U-Pb zircon age of the upper Palapye group (Botswana) and regional implications

Mapeo

Ramokate²,

Armstrong

et al. 2004

Journal of African Earth Sciences

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Section: Sample Vr111/99mentioning

confidence: 99%

U-Pb zircon age of the upper Palapye group (Botswana) and regional implications

Mapeo

Ramokate²,

Armstrong

et al. 2004

Journal of African Earth Sciences

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“…New observations from the critical Transvaal Supergroup in southern Africa indicate that the GOE may have occurred by ca. 2,310 Ma (9) but requires a fourth glaciation at ≤2,250-2,240 Ma (9,11) before the development of the oldest widely accepted oxygenated paleosols (12) and red-bed sandstones (13). Discrepancies in correlations between these glacially influenced stratigraphic successions and the age of the GOE hinge on a disputed age for the Ongeluk Formation basalts (14)(15)(16).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Timing and tempo of the Great Oxidation Event

Gumsley

Chamberlain

Bleeker

et al. 2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

412

274

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The first significant buildup in atmospheric oxygen, the Great Oxidation Event (GOE), began in the early Paleoproterozoic in association with global glaciations and continued until the end of the Lomagundi carbon isotope excursion ca. 2,060 Ma. The exact timing of and relationships among these events are debated because of poor age constraints and contradictory stratigraphic correlations. Here, we show that the first Paleoproterozoic global glaciation and the onset of the GOE occurred between ca. 2,460 and 2,426 Ma, ∼100 My earlier than previously estimated, based on an age of 2,426 ± 3 Ma for Ongeluk Formation magmatism from the Kaapvaal Craton of southern Africa. This age helps define a key paleomagnetic pole that positions the Kaapvaal Craton at equatorial latitudes of 11°± 6°at this time. Furthermore, the rise of atmospheric oxygen was not monotonic, but was instead characterized by oscillations, which together with climatic instabilities may have continued over the next ∼200 My until ≤2,250-2,240 Ma. Ongeluk Formation volcanism at ca. 2,426 Ma was part of a large igneous province (LIP) and represents a waning stage in the emplacement of several temporally discrete LIPs across a large low-latitude continental landmass. These LIPs played critical, albeit complex, roles in the rise of oxygen and in both initiating and terminating global glaciations. This series of events invites comparison with the Neoproterozoic oxygen increase and Sturtian Snowball Earth glaciation, which accompanied emplacement of LIPs across supercontinent Rodinia, also positioned at low latitude.Great Oxidation Event | Snowball Earth | Paleoproterozoic |

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“…Harmer, 1993, personal communication). The colour change in the Rooiberg stratigraphy has been interpreted as marking a change to an oxygen-rich atmosphere (Twist and Cheney, 1986), but this has been disputed as merely reflecting diagenesis (Eriksson and Cheney, 1992). Extrusion of the Rooiberg lavas is presumed to have been subaerial, with interbedded sedimentary rocks reflecting breaks in volcanism.…”

Section: Rooiberg Groupmentioning

confidence: 99%