A Cenozoic-style scenario for the end-Ordovician glaciation

Jean-François Ghienne (), André Desrochers, Thijs R.A. Vandenbroucke, Aicha Achab, Esther Asselin, Marie-Pierre Dabard, Claude Farley, Alfredo Loi, Florentin Paris, Steven Wickson and Jan Veizer
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Jean-François Ghienne: Institut de Physique du Globe de Strasbourg, UMR7516 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg
André Desrochers: University of Ottawa
Thijs R.A. Vandenbroucke: Géosystèmes, UMR8217 CNRS/Université Lille 1, Avenue Paul Langevin
Aicha Achab: Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Eau Terre Environnement
Esther Asselin: Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada
Marie-Pierre Dabard: Université de Rennes 1, Géosciences CNRS UMR 6118
Claude Farley: University of Ottawa
Alfredo Loi: Università degli Studi di Cagliari
Florentin Paris: Université de Rennes 1, Géosciences CNRS UMR 6118
Steven Wickson: University of Ottawa
Jan Veizer: University of Ottawa

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The end-Ordovician was an enigmatic interval in the Phanerozoic, known for massive glaciation potentially at elevated CO2 levels, biogeochemical cycle disruptions recorded as large isotope anomalies and a devastating extinction event. Ice-sheet volumes claimed to be twice those of the Last Glacial Maximum paradoxically coincided with oceans as warm as today. Here we argue that some of these remarkable claims arise from undersampling of incomplete geological sections that led to apparent temporal correlations within the relatively coarse resolution capability of Palaeozoic biochronostratigraphy. We examine exceptionally complete sedimentary records from two, low and high, palaeolatitude settings. Their correlation framework reveals a Cenozoic-style scenario including three main glacial cycles and higher-order phenomena. This necessitates revision of mechanisms for the end-Ordovician events, as the first extinction is tied to an early phase of melting, not to initial cooling, and the largest δ13C excursion occurs during final deglaciation, not at the glacial apex.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5485

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