Rare Siberian Mineral Reveals Ancient Sudden Planet Wide Warming

The age of the found minerals is about 56 million years that corresponds to the PETM time (the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum) when, according to many scientists, massive emissions of methane out of bottom sediments of the ancient sea occurred,’ explains Ass. Prof. Maksim Rudmin from Division for Geology of School of Earth Sciences & Engineering.

It is specified that methane was released during the destruction of methane hydrates, i.e. compounds of methane with water that are distributed in the bottom sediments of the oceans. Methane hydrates decomposed, the releasing gas interacted with the bottom rocks of the ancient sea and contributed to the formation of rare minerals (including pyrrhotite and greigite) that were discovered in the Bakcharkiy deposit. Besides these compounds, the scientists found methane in the solid rock. It is an indicator of the same ‘methane’ trace and a proof that gas emissions from the seabed throughout the planet could cause the climate disaster about 56 million years ago. The destruction of methane hydrates in the Arctic seas can cause a sudden climate change nowadays too.

The research is conducted on the basis of Tomsk Polytechnic University together with colleagues from Australia and Taiwan under the support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research. They utilize an exploration method based on magnetic properties of pyrrhotite and greigite, which is also used in the exploration of fossil gas deposits in sedimentary rocks.

Contacts and sources:
Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU)