MULTIPLE CO2 EMISSION PULSES SUPPORTED BY NEW GEOCHEMICAL DATA IN THE EASTERN TETHYS DURING THE PETM

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; ~56 Ma) is a time where global temperatures increased greatly from rapid carbon emissions, making it one of the best comparisons to anthropogenic climate change. However, there is much debate on the pattern, amount, rate, and source of carbon emitted during this time. While there are many studies that focus on ocean acidification in deep ocean sites, there are limited studies on low latitude and shallow marine environments. We use the earth system model cGENIE to create inversion experiments with δ¹³C carbonates collected from the eastern Tethys Sea and boron-based pH proxy from the deep sea and force CO₂ emission onto the surface ocean. We hypothesize that the shallow ocean will respond to a CO₂ forcing more severely compared to the deep ocean, giving insight the intensity of their responses. Multiple CO₂ emission pulses are required in the model to match the observed pattern in δ¹³C and pH, supporting link between CO₂ degassing from the North Atlantic Igneous Province and the carbon cycle perturbation during the PETM. Understanding the differences between deep and shallow oceans can help infer the carbon emission history and evaluate the carbon release mechanism that drives the PETM.