Abstract
The oxygen isotopic record in deep-sea sediments is a chief source of information on ocean and climate history of the Tertiary period. Traditionally interpretations have focused on the relative importance of temperature change and of polar ice buildup as dominant generating factors1–6. Effects of diagenesis have been largely ignored. Here I show that recrystallization must not be neglected: with reasonable assumptions it can account for much of the familiar Cenozoic trend in the oxygen isotopic composition of foraminifera. Recent studies7,8 indicate that there may be considerable recrystallization of Tertiary carbonates with very significant effects on isotopic compositions. Specifically, the work of Baker et al.7 suggests that there could be total recrystallization in sediments deposited as recently as the early Tertiary.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Douglas, R. G. & Savin, S. M. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 32, 509–520 (1975).
Shackleton, N. J. & Kennett, J. P. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 29, 743–756 (1975).
Savin, S. M. A. Rev. Earth planet. Sci. 5, 319–355 (1977).
Matthews, R. K. & Poore, R. Z. Geology 8, 501–504 (1980).
Douglas, R. G. & Woodruff, F. C. in The Oceanic Lithosphere, The Sea Vol. 7 (ed. Emiliani, C.) 1233–1327 Wiley, New York, (1981).
Vincent, E. & Berger, W. H. in The Oceanic Lithosphere, The Sea Vol. 7 (ed. Emiliani, C.) 1025–1119 (Wiley, New York, 1981).
Baker, P. A., Gieskes, J. M. & Elderfield, H. J. sedim. Petrol. 52, 71–82 (1982).
Miller, K. G. & Curry, W. B. Nature 296, 347–352 (1982).
Lawrence, J. R. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 15, 891–899 (1973).
Friedman, I. & O'Neil, J. R. in Data of Geochemistry, Sixth Edition, III, Title IV, Series V. Paper 440-KK (US Geological Survey, 1977).
O'Neil, J. R., Clayton, R. N. & Mayeda, T. K. J. chem. Phys. 51, 5547–5588 (1969).
Douglas, R. G. & Savin, S. M. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 6, 1123–1127 (1971).
Douglas, R. G. & Savin, S. M. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 17, 591–605 (1973).
Savin, S. M., Douglas, R. G. & Stehli, F. G. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 86, 1499–1510 (1975).
Thompson, G. R., Fields, R. W. & Alt, D. Geology 10, 413–417 (1982).
Friedman, I. & Hardcastle, K. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 15, 901–903 (1973).
Sayles, F. L. & Jenkins, W. J. Science 217, 245–248 (1982).
Crowe, J. & McDuff, R. E. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. (in the press).
Baker, P. A., Kastner, M., Byerlee, J. D. & Lockner, D. A. Mar. Geol. 38, 185–203 (1980).
Milliman, J. D. Science 153, 994–997 (1966).
Andersen, T. F. & Schneidermann, N. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 15, 795–803 (1973).
Matter, A., Douglas, R. C. & Perch-Nielsen, K. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 32, 891–921 (1975).
McKenzie, J., Bernoulli, D. & Garrison, R. E. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg. 42, 473–477 (1978).
Keigwin, L. D. Jr Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 45, 361–382 (1979).
Vergnaud-Grazzini, C. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 47–2, 507–511 (1979).
Matthews, R. K., Curry, W. B., Lohmann, K. C., Sommer, M. A. & Poore, R. Z. Nature 283, 555–557 (1980).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Killingley, J. Effects of diagenetic recrystallization on 18O/16O values of deep-sea sediments. Nature 301, 594–597 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/301594a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/301594a0
This article is cited by
-
Rapid grain boundary diffusion in foraminifera tests biases paleotemperature records
Communications Earth & Environment (2023)
-
Reply to 'No substantial long-term bias in the Cenozoic benthic foraminifera oxygen-isotope record'
Nature Communications (2018)
-
Burial-induced oxygen-isotope re-equilibration of fossil foraminifera explains ocean paleotemperature paradoxes
Nature Communications (2017)
-
Warm tropical sea surface temperatures in the Late Cretaceous and Eocene epochs
Nature (2001)
-
Different fossil brachiopod skeletal microstructure of different information on carbon and oxygen isotope contents
Chinese Science Bulletin (1999)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.