Collaborative Research: The Siberian Traps and the end-Permian Extinction: Coincidence and Causality

这个项目解决了地球演化中一个重要而悬而未决的问题，即西伯利亚大火成岩省(LIP)的喷发是否也就是。西伯利亚圈闭导致了二叠纪-三叠纪的灭绝？事实上，这一提议的核心有两个问题：是什么导致了洪水玄武岩，洪水玄武岩是否导致了物种灭绝？几十年来，这些问题一直是活跃研究的主题。该项目的一个独特方面是，这两个问题都由一个国际专家小组同时处理，他们的目标是深入了解这一LIP从其起源到对地球系统的短期和长期影响。PIS将使用一大套技术：地球化学、地质测温、古地磁学、地震学、地球动力学、古生物学和气候模拟来实现他们的目标。具体地说，PI将：为整个火山序列建立高精度的喷发时间刻度，从而获得通量；量化火成岩，包括熔岩、侵入岩，特别是大量凝灰岩的挥发性负荷；量化围岩的挥发性释放；利用现有的地震数据和地球动力学模型，开始绘制区域下方的地壳和上地幔结构图；研究硫注入和大气二氧化碳积累的气候后果；利用古生物学、稳定同位素地球化学和地质年代学，继续详细研究二叠纪末大灭绝。更广泛的影响：PI团队由来自7个不同国家的科学家组成。将为该项目下获得的样品建立一个中央储存库。信息将保存在网络上，并向其他科学家提供材料。一名与国家地理公司有关的纪录片制片人将与PI一起在现场为一部关于该项目的电影收集素材。更多的报道将通过美国自然历史博物馆的S科学简报提供，这是一种关于当前研究的短片，在AMNH放映，并分发给世界各地的40多个科学中心和博物馆。

This project address an important, and unresolved question in Earth evolution, i.e. did the eruption of the Siberian Large Igneous Province (LIP) a.k.a. Siberian Traps cause the Permo-Triassic extinction? In reality there are two questions at the heart of this proposal; what causes flood basalts and do flood basalts cause extinctions? These questions have been the subject of active research for several decades. One of the unique aspects of this project is that both are addressed simultaneously by an international team of experts whose goal is to gain an in-depth understanding of this LIP from its origin to both short-and long-term effects on Earth systems. The PIs will use a large suite of techniques: geochemistry, geothermometry, paleomagnetics, seismology, geodynamics, paleontology, and climate modeling to achieve their goal. Specifically, the PIs will: create high-precision eruption time scales for the entire volcanic succession, thus obtaining flux rates; quantify the volatile loads of the igneous rocks including lavas, intrusives, and in particular the voluminous tuffs; quantify volatile release from country rocks; begin to map the crustal and upper-mantle structure beneath the region using existing seismic data and geodynamical modeling; study the climatic consequences of sulfur injection and buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide; and continue detailed studies of the end-Permian extinction, using paleontology, stable isotope geochemistry, and geochronology. Broader Impacts: The PI team consists of scientists from 7 different countries. A central repository will be created for samples obtained under this project. Information will be maintained on the web and material made available to other scientists. A documentary film producer associated with the National Geographic Corporation will be in the field with the PIs gathering footage for a film about the project. Additional coverage is will be provided through the American Museum of Natural History?s Science Bulletins, short films about current research that are shown at the AMNH and distributed to over 40 science centers and museums around the world.