Timing, Duration, and Causes of Mass Extinctions

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Geochemistry and Geochronology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 March 2022) | Viewed by 4764

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Geosciences, College of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Interests: igneous, sedimentary, and petroleum geochemistry; geochronology; isotope geochemistry

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Guest Editor
AIRIE Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Interests: metals and hydrocarbons; Re-Os isotope geochemistry; ore geology; calibrating earth time; fluids in the earth

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The significance of mass extinctions for reconstructing the past, understanding the present, and preparing for future environmental change is of utmost interest throughout the sciences. Biological reductions characterizing mass extinctions in the sedimentary record often coincide with prominent geochemical variations in paleo-environments. Understanding the triggers and the global unfolding of mass extinctions requires the reconstruction of complex interactions and multiple feedbacks between organic and inorganic constituents in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Just as importantly, we ask what processes are responsible for the Earth’s return to life-enhancing conditions. Geochemical signatures held in the rock record rarely provide unambiguous answers, but collectively, they form an increasing base of knowledge from which we can better understand both triggers and consequences associated with life-altering processes on Earth.

This dedicated Special Issue will address questions that probe dramatic geochemical changes on Earth leading to mass extinctions. We invite contributions focused on broad or specific aspects of geochemistry and geochronology of mass extinction events. We warmly welcome both seasoned scientists and newcomers to be part of this Special Issue and look forward to working together with you.

Dr. Svetoslav V. Georgiev
Prof. Dr. Holly J. Stein
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • mass extinctions
  • geochronology
  • geochemistry
  • elemental cycling
  • stable isotopes
  • large igneous provinces (LIPS)

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 4446 KiB  
Article
Re–Os and Sr Isotopic Study of Permian–Triassic Sedimentary Rocks from the Himalaya: Shale Chronology and Carbonate Diagenesis
by Anirban Mandal, Gyana Ranjan Tripathy, Vineet Goswami, Lukáš Ackerman, Suraj K. Parcha and Rakesh Chandra
Minerals 2021, 11(4), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/min11040417 - 15 Apr 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3756
Abstract
Sedimentary rocks from the Himalayas are well-preserved archives of the Neo-Tethys oceanic conditions. In this contribution, Re–Os isotopic systematics of black shales from the Gungri Formation, Spiti valley and siltstones from the Khunamuh Formation, Guryul Ravine have been investigated to constrain their depositional [...] Read more.
Sedimentary rocks from the Himalayas are well-preserved archives of the Neo-Tethys oceanic conditions. In this contribution, Re–Os isotopic systematics of black shales from the Gungri Formation, Spiti valley and siltstones from the Khunamuh Formation, Guryul Ravine have been investigated to constrain their depositional ages. The Re–Os isochron for the Gungri shales yields a depositional age of 255 ± 22 Ma (2σ; n = 8; MSWD (Mean Square Weighted Deviation) = 5.7), consistent with available biostratigraphic information. The initial 187Os/188Os ratio (0.60 ± 0.13) is similar to that reported for the Late Permian shales, indicating the connection of the Neo-Tethys with the global ocean. In contrast, the Re–Os systematic is found to be non-isochronous for the Guryul Ravine section, a proximal site with a strong influence of seismic/Tsunami events. Global compilation of 187Re/188Os ratios in Late Permian shales and bathymetric distribution of the Re/Os ratios point to strong role of Re/Os uptake by macroalgae, in addition to oceanic pH and redox state, in regulating the Re–Os systematic in shales. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios for the Induan carbonates from the Spiti (0.71551–0.71837) are higher than to that expected for the Lower Triassic ocean (~0.707). Co-variations of Sr and 87Sr/86Sr with Mn concentrations establish the diagenetic alteration of these carbonates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timing, Duration, and Causes of Mass Extinctions)
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