Evidence for variable provenance of Mercury anomalies during the Smithian–Spathian (Olenekian)

Oluwaseun Edward; Marc Leu; Hugo Bucher; Sandrine Le Houedec; Franziska Blattmann; Christian Vérard; Thierry Adatte; Aymon Baud; Jeroen E. Sonke; Torsten Vennemann

doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2023.104343

Evidence for variable provenance of Mercury anomalies during the Smithian–Spathian (Olenekian)

Oluwaseun Edward^*, Marc Leu, Hugo Bucher, Sandrine Le Houedec, Franziska Blattmann, Christian Vérard, Thierry Adatte, Aymon Baud, Jeroen E. Sonke, Torsten Vennemann

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Mercury (Hg) enrichment recorded in Smithian to Spathian (Olenekian) marine sedimentary successions has been used to link putative renewed Siberian Traps Large Igneous Province (STLIP) magmatism to climatic and environmental perturbations during this interval. To assess the potential for massive volcanism as a trigger for marine environmental disturbances across the Smithian – Spathian boundary (SSB), the patterns and provenance of Hg sequestration in four Tethyan marine sedimentary successions are investigated in the current study. We present a diverse array of new, temporally calibrated geochemical data including Hg concentrations and isotopic compositions, strontium, and neodymium isotope records, as well as major and trace element concentrations from carbonate-poor and -rich strata alike, including volcanic ashes. Results indicate that Hg anomalies in middle to late Smithian strata vary in magnitude and age. Based on several lines of evidence, the Hg anomalies recorded for the investigated PaleoTethyan successions are interpreted to have been sourced from subduction-related arc volcanism, with potential contributions from terrestrial Hg reservoirs. In contrast, a low-magnitude mercury enrichment interval recorded for NeoTethyan late Smithian strata is attributed to hydrothermal fluid or submarine volcanic activity. These results, together with previously published Smithian to Spathian Hg records, provide evidence that Smithian Hg anomalies cannot be attributed to a singular source such as renewed STLIP activity. Instead, the stratigraphically variable mercury anomalies reflect local patterns of enhanced mercury sequestration from various sources during the middle Smithian to SSB. Consequently, evidence for STLIP magmatism during the Smithian – Spathian transition is still lacking, and regional volcanic activity may have been influential in causing marine environmental upheavals in the Tethys region across the SSB.

Original language	English
Article number	104343
Journal	Global and Planetary Change
Volume	232
ISSN	0921-8181
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2023.104343
Publication status	Published - Jan 2024
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Early Triassic
Mercury anomalies
Siberian Traps
SSB
Volcanism

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10.1016/j.gloplacha.2023.104343Licence: CC BY

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@article{8b9630a0a6ba43ee877fa61b3edcdde7,

title = "Evidence for variable provenance of Mercury anomalies during the Smithian–Spathian (Olenekian)",

abstract = "Mercury (Hg) enrichment recorded in Smithian to Spathian (Olenekian) marine sedimentary successions has been used to link putative renewed Siberian Traps Large Igneous Province (STLIP) magmatism to climatic and environmental perturbations during this interval. To assess the potential for massive volcanism as a trigger for marine environmental disturbances across the Smithian – Spathian boundary (SSB), the patterns and provenance of Hg sequestration in four Tethyan marine sedimentary successions are investigated in the current study. We present a diverse array of new, temporally calibrated geochemical data including Hg concentrations and isotopic compositions, strontium, and neodymium isotope records, as well as major and trace element concentrations from carbonate-poor and -rich strata alike, including volcanic ashes. Results indicate that Hg anomalies in middle to late Smithian strata vary in magnitude and age. Based on several lines of evidence, the Hg anomalies recorded for the investigated PaleoTethyan successions are interpreted to have been sourced from subduction-related arc volcanism, with potential contributions from terrestrial Hg reservoirs. In contrast, a low-magnitude mercury enrichment interval recorded for NeoTethyan late Smithian strata is attributed to hydrothermal fluid or submarine volcanic activity. These results, together with previously published Smithian to Spathian Hg records, provide evidence that Smithian Hg anomalies cannot be attributed to a singular source such as renewed STLIP activity. Instead, the stratigraphically variable mercury anomalies reflect local patterns of enhanced mercury sequestration from various sources during the middle Smithian to SSB. Consequently, evidence for STLIP magmatism during the Smithian – Spathian transition is still lacking, and regional volcanic activity may have been influential in causing marine environmental upheavals in the Tethys region across the SSB.",

keywords = "Early Triassic, Mercury anomalies, Siberian Traps, SSB, Volcanism",

author = "Oluwaseun Edward and Marc Leu and Hugo Bucher and {Le Houedec}, Sandrine and Franziska Blattmann and Christian V{\'e}rard and Thierry Adatte and Aymon Baud and Sonke, {Jeroen E.} and Torsten Vennemann",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023",

year = "2024",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.gloplacha.2023.104343",

language = "English",

volume = "232",

journal = "Global and Planetary Change",

issn = "0921-8181",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Evidence for variable provenance of Mercury anomalies during the Smithian–Spathian (Olenekian)

AU - Edward, Oluwaseun

AU - Leu, Marc

AU - Bucher, Hugo

AU - Le Houedec, Sandrine

AU - Blattmann, Franziska

AU - Vérard, Christian

AU - Adatte, Thierry

AU - Baud, Aymon

AU - Sonke, Jeroen E.

AU - Vennemann, Torsten

PY - 2024/1

Y1 - 2024/1

N2 - Mercury (Hg) enrichment recorded in Smithian to Spathian (Olenekian) marine sedimentary successions has been used to link putative renewed Siberian Traps Large Igneous Province (STLIP) magmatism to climatic and environmental perturbations during this interval. To assess the potential for massive volcanism as a trigger for marine environmental disturbances across the Smithian – Spathian boundary (SSB), the patterns and provenance of Hg sequestration in four Tethyan marine sedimentary successions are investigated in the current study. We present a diverse array of new, temporally calibrated geochemical data including Hg concentrations and isotopic compositions, strontium, and neodymium isotope records, as well as major and trace element concentrations from carbonate-poor and -rich strata alike, including volcanic ashes. Results indicate that Hg anomalies in middle to late Smithian strata vary in magnitude and age. Based on several lines of evidence, the Hg anomalies recorded for the investigated PaleoTethyan successions are interpreted to have been sourced from subduction-related arc volcanism, with potential contributions from terrestrial Hg reservoirs. In contrast, a low-magnitude mercury enrichment interval recorded for NeoTethyan late Smithian strata is attributed to hydrothermal fluid or submarine volcanic activity. These results, together with previously published Smithian to Spathian Hg records, provide evidence that Smithian Hg anomalies cannot be attributed to a singular source such as renewed STLIP activity. Instead, the stratigraphically variable mercury anomalies reflect local patterns of enhanced mercury sequestration from various sources during the middle Smithian to SSB. Consequently, evidence for STLIP magmatism during the Smithian – Spathian transition is still lacking, and regional volcanic activity may have been influential in causing marine environmental upheavals in the Tethys region across the SSB.

AB - Mercury (Hg) enrichment recorded in Smithian to Spathian (Olenekian) marine sedimentary successions has been used to link putative renewed Siberian Traps Large Igneous Province (STLIP) magmatism to climatic and environmental perturbations during this interval. To assess the potential for massive volcanism as a trigger for marine environmental disturbances across the Smithian – Spathian boundary (SSB), the patterns and provenance of Hg sequestration in four Tethyan marine sedimentary successions are investigated in the current study. We present a diverse array of new, temporally calibrated geochemical data including Hg concentrations and isotopic compositions, strontium, and neodymium isotope records, as well as major and trace element concentrations from carbonate-poor and -rich strata alike, including volcanic ashes. Results indicate that Hg anomalies in middle to late Smithian strata vary in magnitude and age. Based on several lines of evidence, the Hg anomalies recorded for the investigated PaleoTethyan successions are interpreted to have been sourced from subduction-related arc volcanism, with potential contributions from terrestrial Hg reservoirs. In contrast, a low-magnitude mercury enrichment interval recorded for NeoTethyan late Smithian strata is attributed to hydrothermal fluid or submarine volcanic activity. These results, together with previously published Smithian to Spathian Hg records, provide evidence that Smithian Hg anomalies cannot be attributed to a singular source such as renewed STLIP activity. Instead, the stratigraphically variable mercury anomalies reflect local patterns of enhanced mercury sequestration from various sources during the middle Smithian to SSB. Consequently, evidence for STLIP magmatism during the Smithian – Spathian transition is still lacking, and regional volcanic activity may have been influential in causing marine environmental upheavals in the Tethys region across the SSB.

KW - Early Triassic

KW - Mercury anomalies

KW - Siberian Traps

KW - SSB

KW - Volcanism

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85180762692&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2023.104343

DO - 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2023.104343

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85180762692

SN - 0921-8181

VL - 232

JO - Global and Planetary Change

JF - Global and Planetary Change

M1 - 104343

ER -

Evidence for variable provenance of Mercury anomalies during the Smithian–Spathian (Olenekian)

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Keywords

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