2004 Denver Annual Meeting (November 7–10, 2004)
Paper No. 78-13
Presentation Time: 11:10 AM-11:25 AM

TERRESTRIAL PALEOCLIMATOLOGY OF THE MID-CRETACEOUS GREENHOUSE II: OXYGEN ISOTOPIC EVIDENCE FOR ENHANCED ATMOSPHERIC HEAT TRANSPORT

UFNAR, David F., Geology, Univ of Southern Mississippi, Box 5044, 134 Walker Science Building, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, David.Ufnar@usm.edu, GONZALEZ, Luis A., Department of Geology, Univ of Kansas, 1475 Jayhawk Boulevard, Lawrence, KS 66045-7613, LUDVIGSON, Greg A., Iowa Dept of Nat Res, Geol Survey, 109 Trowbridge Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242-1379, BRENNER, Robert L., Geoscience, Univ of Iowa, 121 TH, Iowa City, IA 52242-1379, and WITZKE, Brian J., Iowa Geol Survey, 109 Trowbridge Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242-1319

Terrestrial "greenhouse-world" paleosol-carbonate proxy records and quantitative reconstructions of the mid-Cretaceous hydrologic cycle show that heat transfer through the atmosphere via water vapor played a greater role in cooling the tropics and warming the high latitudes than at present, and represents a viable alternative to oceanic heat transport. Precipitation-evaporation (P-E) balances define latitudinal zones with moisture deficits and moisture surpluses. Comparison of modeled Albian and modern P-E curves suggest amplification of the Albian moisture deficit between 7.5 and 30°N latitude (up to 65% greater), and amplified Albian moisture surplus in the mid to high latitudes (up to 45% greater). The tropical moisture deficit is calculated to represent an average heat loss of approximately 74 W/m2 at 10°N paleolatitude (present 16.5 W/m2), at 45°N an average heat gain of 83 W/m2 (present 23 W/m2); and at 75°N an Albian heat gain of 19 W/m2 (present 4 W/m2). These quantitative estimates of increased poleward heat transfer by H2O vapor (latent heat flux-LHF) during the mid-Cretaceous greenhouse warming may help to explain the reduced equator-to-pole temperature gradients. The hydrologic cycle was mass-balance modeled from the empirical paleolatitudinal trend (34°-75°N) in mid-Cretaceous meteoric sphaerosiderite d18O values of the Western Interior Basin, which is steeper and lighter than the modern theoretical gradient. The model was calibrated using modern d18O values, and the results suggest that mid-Cretaceous precipitation rates exceeded modern mid-high latitude rates (156-220% greater in mid latitudes [2600-3300 mm/yr], and 99% greater at high latitudes [550 mm/yr]). The modeling results and LHF estimates suggest enhanced aridity near the Hadley Cell Boundary (25°-30°N). Paleosol carbonates from the Antler's Formation of Oklahoma and the Glenrose Formation of Texas show positive linear covariant trends (PLCT) in d18O vs. d13C values that resulted from evaporative enrichment of vadose pore-waters duing calcite precipitation. Meteoric calcite lines defined for these paleosols extend the latitudinal transect in mid-Cretaceous meteoric d18O values to 25ºN paleolatitude, and the PLCT's will aid in quantifying evaporation rates and refining mid-Cretaceous LHF estimates.

2004 Denver Annual Meeting (November 7–10, 2004)
General Information for this Meeting
Session No. 78
Frontier in Understanding the Geologic Record of Climate Change: A Session in Honor of William W. Hay
Colorado Convention Center: 603
8:00 AM-12:00 PM, Monday, November 8, 2004

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 36, No. 5, p. 198

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