Late Pennsylvanian seasonality reflected in the 18 O and elemental composition of a brachiopod shell

Mii Horng-Sheng Mii, E. L. Grossman

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59 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To evaluate the potential for the study of Late Pennsylvanian seasonality, detailed isotopic and elemental analyses were performed on a single specimen of the brachiopod Neospirifer dunbari. Contours of 18 O, Mg, Na, and S concentrations parallel growth bands and reveal a record of 1 1/2 to 2 cycles. Mg, S, and Na contents varied inversely with δ 18 O. This trend is opposite to the expected diagenetic trend and is consistent with the temperature dependences of Mg content and δ 18 O, thus implying preservation of shell chemistry. The ~1.2‰ range in δ 18 O values suggests a seasonal temperature variation of 5 to 6°C. This high seasonality for the tropical epicontinental sea of Kansas supports climate-model predictions of enhanced continentality in Pangean climate. -Authors

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)661-664
Number of pages4
JournalGeology
Volume22
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1994
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geology

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