Mercury anomalies associated with three extinction events (Capitanian Crisis, Latest Permian Extinction and the Smithian/Spathian Extinction) in NW Pangea
Mercury anomalies associated with three extinction events (Capitanian Crisis, Latest Permian Extinction and the Smithian/Spathian Extinction) in NW Pangea
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DOI：
10.1017/s0016756815000436
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发表时间：
2016-03-01
影响因子：
2.3
通讯作者：
Sanei, Hamed
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Grasby, Stephen E.;Beauchamp, Benoit;Sanei, Hamed
在斯匹次卑尔根的费斯宁根剖面，对二叠纪-早三叠世地层进行了研究，其中包括三次主要灭绝事件（Capitanian危机，最后二叠纪灭绝和Smithian/Spathian灭绝）的记录。在C。12 Ma以来，沉积物中汞的背景值相对稳定，为0.005-0.010 μ g g（-1）。然而，有明显的峰值汞浓度超过一个数量级以上的背景与三个预防。汞/总有机碳（TOC）的比率也显示出类似的大峰值，这表明汞在环境中的负荷确实增加了。我们认为，这些代表汞负荷事件与增强汞排放量的大火成岩省（LIP）的事件是同步的。汞异常是一致的整个西北边缘的盘古大陆，表明广泛的汞负载发生。虽然这提供了作为化学地层标志物的实用性，但汞峰值也可能表明有毒金属向环境中的负载，这是大规模灭绝事件的一个原因。
Strata of Permian - Early Triassic age that include a record of three major extinction events (Capitanian Crisis, Latest Permian Extinction and the Smithian/Spathian Extinction) were examined at the Festningen section, Spitsbergen. Over the c. 12 Ma record examined, mercury in the sediments shows relatively constant background values of 0.005-0.010 mu g g(-1). However, there are notable spikes in Hg concentration over an order of magnitude above background associated with the three extinctions. The Hg/total organic carbon (TOC) ratio shows similar large spikes, indicating that they represent a true increase in Hg loading to the environment. We argue that these represent Hg loading events associated with enhanced Hg emissions from large igneous province (LIP) events that are synchronous with the extinctions. The Hg anomalies are consistent across the NW margin of Pangea, indicating that widespread mercury loading occurred. While this provides utility as a chemostratigraphic marker the Hg spikes may also indicate loading of toxic metals to the environment, a contributing cause to the mass extinction events.