The Telychian (early Silurian) oxygenation event in northern Europe: A geochemical and magnetic perspective

Hounslow, Mark W ORCID: 0000-0003-1784-6291, Ratcliffe, Kenneth T, Harris, Samuel E, Nawrocki, Jerzy, Wójcik, Krystian, Montgomery, Paul and Woodcock, Nigel H (2021) The Telychian (early Silurian) oxygenation event in northern Europe: A geochemical and magnetic perspective. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 567. p. 110277.

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Abstract

Widespread marine red beds in the European Telychian (lower-Silurian) are one expression of an interval of unusually widespread oxic conditions in low palaeolatitude Silurian seas. This work examines in detail the geochemical and magnetic susceptibility record of cores from southern Poland, which also express the Telychian oxygenation event in grey-mudstones. The geochemical data provide an evaluation of redox conditions, palaeoweathering, sediment provenance, primary palaeoproductivity and upwelling. Sediment provenance is evaluated against possible sources on the East European Craton. The data suggest that the magnetic susceptibility is carried by both paramagnetic Fe-silicates and Fe-oxides. Magnetic data are supplemented by magnetic hysteresis and isothermal remanent magnetisations, and mineralogical data on selected samples. In Poland the oxygenation event is clearly expressed in larger Fe2O3 and magnetic susceptibility, caused by enhanced palaeoweathering, changes in sediment provenance and a redox influence on the preservation of Fe-oxides. A much briefer oxygenation event is detected in the upper Rhuddanian. Palaeoproductivity fluxes indicate that the Telychian oxygenation event was caused by a reduction in primary oceanic palaeoproductivity, possibly linked to a reduction in nutrient delivery to the margin of the East European Craton, inferred to be caused by increased aridity. The increased aridity stimulated enhanced delivery of Fe-enriched aeolian dust from soils, generating a magnetic susceptibility and Fe2O3 expression of the Telychian oxygenation event.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Marine red beds, Redox, Palaeoproductivity, Palaeoweathering, Magnetic susceptibility, Provenance, East European Craton
Divisions:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > School of Environmental Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	23 Mar 2021 08:29
Last Modified:	18 Jan 2023 22:55
DOI:	10.1016/j.palaeo.2021.110277
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3118014