The dawn of CAMP volcanism and its bearing on the end-Triassic carbon cycle disruption

Abstract

The cause-and-effect relationship between the ca. 201 Ma eruption of the Central Atlantic magmatic province (CAMP) and the end-Triassic abrupt climate change and mass extinction is at present based on controversial temporal correlations. Upper Triassic sedimentary strata underlying CAMP basalts in Morocco illustrate a clear mineralogical and geochemical fingerprint of early CAMP basaltic eruptions, namely unusually high contents of MgO (10–32wt%) and of mafic clay minerals (11–84%). In the same rocks a coincident negative carbon-isotope excursion (CIE) is present, equivalent to the so-called ‘initial negative CIE’ recorded worldwide shortly before the Triassic–Jurassic boundary. The new data show that the onset of CAMP activity preceded the end-Triassic carbon cycle disruption and that the initial negative CIE is unequivocally synchronous with CAMP volcanism. The results of this study strongly support the hypothesis that the culmination of pollution of atmosphere and seawater by CAMP-derived volcanic gases was the proximate cause of the end-Triassic mass extinction

A new correlation of Triassic–Jurassic boundary successions in NW Europe, Nevada and Peru, and the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province: A time-line for the end-Triassic mass extinction

“…Similarly, a negative shift in δ 13 C org below the lowermost CAMP basalts Morocco and eastern North America, originally correlated with the "initial CIE", i.e. the Spelae CIE, at St. Audrie's Bay and suggested to mark the end-Triassic extinction (Whiteside et al, 2010;Deenen et al, 2010;Dal Corso et al, 2014), must represent an older fluctuation in the carbon cycle and may correspond to the onset of the Marshi CIE.…”

“…2, has been the basis for several papers concerning the end-Triassic event (e.g. Steinthorsdottir et al, 2011;Hillebrandt et al, 2013;Mander et al, 2013;Dal Corso et al, 2014).…”

Production and preservation of resins – past and present

“…The disappearance of Triassic fauna and flora is associated with a major global carbon cycle perturbation caused by injection of CO 2 into the atmosphere, as testified by coeval doubling of CO 2 partial pressure ( P CO 2 ) levels and a negative carbon isotope shift recorded in carbonates and organic matter (e.g. Pálfy et al, ; Ward et al, ; Hesselbo et al, ; Whiteside et al, ; Ruhl et al, ; Steinthorsdottir, Jeram & McElwain, ; Dal Corso et al, ). This carbon cycle disruption and mass extinction has been closely linked to the eruption of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP; Marzoli et al, ) and the associated volcanic release of CO 2 and SO 2 (e.g.…”

End-Triassic mass extinction started by intrusive CAMP activity

“…Sediments from weathered mafic rocks are present below the first basalt flows in Morocco, which is interpreted as evidence for undiscovered basalts below the ETE3. Also, global sea level regression recorded in the Rhaetian sediments of UK, USA and Austria below the ETE has been interpreted as evidence for climatic cooling associated with early degassing of sulfur from CAMP magmas at depth520.…”