A Volcanic Trigger for Earth’s First Mass Extinction?

[rangerrebew]

 A Volcanic Trigger for Earth’s First Mass Extinction?
 

By Lucas Joel 30 May 2017

Five major mass extinctions punctuate the history of life on Earth. The first is the Late Ordovician mass extinction, which began about 445 million years ago, triggered by a severe ice age and subsequent global warming that exterminated more than 85% of all marine species. Why the ice age that sparked the event was so drastic, however, is not clear. Recent research has suggested that large-scale volcanism before and during the extinction may be to blame, but evidence for volcanism has remained scant—until now. In a new study, researchers report the discovery of rock layers formed about the time of the extinction that are rich in the chemical element mercury, which they say is a telltale sign of volcanic activity.

https://eos.org/articles/a-volcanic-trigger-for-earths-first-mass-extinction

[Suppressed]

A Volcanic Trigger for Earth’s First Mass Extinction?
 

By Lucas Joel 30 May 2017

Five major mass extinctions punctuate the history of life on Earth. The first is the Late Ordovician mass extinction, which began about 445 million years ago, triggered by a severe ice age and subsequent global warming that exterminated more than 85% of all marine species. Why the ice age that sparked the event was so drastic, however, is not clear. Recent research has suggested that large-scale volcanism before and during the extinction may be to blame, but evidence for volcanism has remained scant—until now. In a new study, researchers report the discovery of rock layers formed about the time of the extinction that are rich in the chemical element mercury, which they say is a telltale sign of volcanic activity.

https://eos.org/articles/a-volcanic-trigger-for-earths-first-mass-extinction

This opens the door for a lot of graduate-student projects, measuring mercury at the O-S boundary around the world.

[Smokin Joe]

This opens the door for a lot of graduate-student projects, measuring mercury at the O-S boundary around the world.

And looking for mixed layer clays in the insoluble residues from marine carbonates.

[Suppressed]

And looking for mixed layer clays in the insoluble residues from marine carbonates.

Yup