Snowball
EarthRoopa KameshMatt BeversdorfKathy Groome
Theory of Snowball Earth Continents and oceans were covered in ice
approximately 600 million years ago.
Earth was in a deep freeze, chemical cycles were halted; carbon dioxide accumulated in the atmosphere causing an extreme greenhouse effect.
Believed to have triggered the explosion of life forms seen in Cambrian fossils
Snowball Earth occurred during the Neoproterozoic
Research Question
Is there a correlation between the existing isotope data and unusual deposits during the Neoproterozoic (530-630 Ma) ?
Existing Evidence
Proterozoic Biostratigraphy: Persistence and the Explosion of Life
Glacial Deposits and Carbonate Caps
Isotope Analysis
Proterozoic Biostratigraphy (Fossil Record)
Shelly Fauna – mollusks, conical fossils marking the Cambrian transition
Acritarchs – organic walled, probably plant origin
Ediacarian fossils – oldest known multicellular animal life. Soft bodied, macroscopic invertebrates. Circumglobal
Stomatolites – CaCO3 buildup of algal origin
Trace fossils – traces and burrows
Hoffman and Shrag (1998)
Geologic SequenceCap Carbonates are found on top of glacial deposits in
the rock layers.
Mulden ClasticsElandshoek Slope
Elandshoek PlatformMaieberg Cap CarbonateGhaub Glacial Deposits
Ombaatijie PlatformGruis Ramp
Rasthof Cap carbonateChuos Glacial Deposits
Ombombo Ramp (approx 760 Ma)
Namibia (Hoffman et al. 1998)
Hoffman and Schrag pointing to cap carbonate above glacial dropstones.
Stable Isotope Analysis
OXYGENHeavy Oxygen-18 is incorporated into minerals. More Oxygen 18 during low temperatures.
STRONTIUMIncreased Sr86/87 ratio due to increased weathering during glaciation.
CARBON 12/CARBON 13Plants use the lighter isotope Carbon 12 in photosynthesis. The lower relative abundance of Carbon 13 means the plants were worse off (dying). Evidence in “cap” carbonates
Jacobson and Kaufmann, 1999Knoll, 2000Knoll, 2000
Design/Methods Literature Search for related data Kaufman et al. 1993. The Vendian Record of Sr and C isotopic Variations in
Seawater: Implications for Tectonics and Paleoclimate. Earth and Planetary Science letters 120(1993) 409-430.
Kennedy et al. 1998. Two or Four Neoproterozoic Glaciations? Geology 26 (12): 1059-1063.
Data Analysis Create Timeline depicting different stages ranging from Archaen to PhanerozoicAny significant difference in isotope data over time (ANOVA for 3 different isotopes every 20 My)Correlation between isotope data at different locations (ANOVA for 3 different isotopes)Correlation between different isotope data (Spearman rank analysis)
Results
A B C D E F G H I-12
-10
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
Interaction Bar Chart Effect: Age Class 20my Dependent: 018 With 95% Confidence error bars.
Age Class 20my
Cell
Mea
ns o
f 018
A B C D E F G H I-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
Interaction Bar Chart Effect: Age Class 20my Dependent: C13 With Standard Deviation error bars.
Age Class 20my
Cell
Mea
ns o
f C13
Data grouped by 20 My time periods. (A=520-540 My, I=680-700 My)
Oxygen (O18)
Carbon 13
A B C D E F G H I.706
.708
.71
.712
.714
.716
.718
.72
Interaction Bar Chart Effect: Age Class 20my Dependent: 87/86 Sr With 95% Confidence error bars.
Age Class 20my
Cell
Mea
ns o
f 87/
86 S
r
Strontium (Sr86/Sr87)
Isotope P-value Age groups included
Carbon 13 .0001 A-I
Oxygen 18 .0037 A-F
Strontium 87/86 .0382 A-I
Isotope Data over Time
Isotope Data from Different Locations
Location Description Author
PG Polarisbreen Group and equivalents, Svalbard and East Greenland
Kaufmann et al., 1993
NW Nama and Witvlei groups, Namibia and South Africa
Kaufmann et al., 1993
UWS Upper Windmere Supergroup, Northwest Territories, Canada
Kaufmann et al., 1993
CF Congo Craton east of Fransfontein, Africa
Kennedy et al. 1998
CD Congo Craton Farm Durrwater 66, Africa
Kennedy et al. 1998
CD CF NW PG UWS-12
-10
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
Interaction Bar Chart Effect: Location Dependent: 018 With 95% Confidence error bars.
Location
Cell
Mea
ns o
f 018
CD CF NW PG UWS.706
.707
.707
.708
.708
.709
.709
.71
.71
.711
.711
Interaction Bar Chart Effect: Location Dependent: 87/86 Sr With Standard Deviation error bars.
Location
Cell
Mea
ns o
f 87/
86 S
r
Strontium (Sr86/Sr87)
Oxygen (O18)
CD CF NW PG UWS0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Interaction Bar Chart Effect: Location Dependent: C13 With Standard Deviation error bars.
Location
Cell
Mea
ns o
f C13
Carbon 13
Isotope P-value
Carbon Oxygen Strontium
.0886
.0011*
.0018*
C, O and Sr for 5 locations
*Low P-value means that they are significantly different
Correlation Between Isotope Data?
Isotope Rho P-value n= Carbon 13 and Oxygen 18 0.121 0.3213 68Oxygen 18 and Strontium 86/87 -0.251 0.0288* 77Strontium 86/87 and Carbon 13 -0.18 0.1488 68
*Low P-value means that we reject the null hypothesis that there is not a relationship between the variables (independent)
Summary of the ResultsANOVA* C, Sr, and O were significantly different over time
Indicates one or more climatic changes in conditions from the Archaen to the Phanerozoic. (Does not tell us when or how extreme)
* O and Sr were significantly different between locationsTells us that the numbers are different between sites - measurement
error or other factor? (Does not tell us if locations show same trend)
* C was not significantly different between locationsCarbon data was similar for all sites
SPEARMAN* Both C & Sr and C & O are not related
* O & Sr are related (inverse correlation)
Ma Animal Fossils Geology Carbon 13 87/86 SR ratio O18535 High (0.71098) Low (-13.4)540545 High (0)550555560565 Level (-8.8)570 Level (0.708607) Level (-7.8)575 High (6.6, 5.9)580585 Low (-4.4)590 Cap Carbonate Low (-5.5) Low (-13.5)595
600Low (0.706754 - 0.710536) High (-3.4)
605610 High (4.1)
615Metazoans and simple Acritarchs
Snowball Earth Event
Possible 2nd Glaciation
Shelly Fauna, Distinctive Trace Fossils, and simple Acritarchs
Megascopic (diverse) Acritarchs
Ediacara Fauna, and simple Acritarchs
Walter et al., 2000
How does it all fit together? (after 6 hours of stress)
Conclusion
• We conclude that it is reasonable that a global glaciation occurred around 600 My ago.
• This is supported by isotope analysis, which showed that isotopes changed over time over a large area.
• The isotopes also correspond with glacial deposits and biostratigraphic data
• What do you think?
Top Related