Increased subaerial volcanism and the rise of atmospheric oxygen 2.5 billion years ago
Abstract
The hypothesis that the establishment of a permanently oxygenated atmosphere at the Archaean-Proterozoic transition (approximately 2.5 billion years ago) occurred when oxygen-producing cyanobacteria evolved is contradicted by biomarker evidence for their presence in rocks 200 million years older. To sustain vanishingly low oxygen levels despite near-modern rates of oxygen production from approximately 2.7-2.5 billion years ago thus requires that oxygen sinks must have been much larger than they are now. Here we propose that the rise of atmospheric oxygen occurred because the predominant sink for oxygen in the Archaean era-enhanced submarine volcanism-was abruptly and permanently diminished during the Archaean-Proterozoic transition. Observations are consistent with the corollary that subaerial volcanism only became widespread after a major tectonic episode of continental stabilization at the beginning of the Proterozoic. Submarine volcanoes are more reducing than subaerial volcanoes, so a shift from predominantly submarine to a mix of subaerial and submarine volcanism more similar to that observed today would have reduced the overall sink for oxygen and led to the rise of atmospheric oxygen.
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Hypotheses for a slowly decreasing O2 sink to the GOE tipping point rely on a decline in the ratio of reduced-to-oxidized species from volcanic, metamorphic, and hydrothermal sources.
“Hypotheses for a slowly decreasing O2 sink to the GOE tipping point rely on a decline in the ratio of reduced-to-oxidized species from volcanic, metamorphic, and hydrothermal sources (9, 123, 124, 133, 134).”
From The Archean atmosphere (2020) · cites this paper as [133]
Higher inputs of reductant relative to today would affect the stability of an oxygen-sink-controlled feedback regime.
“Higher inputs of reductant relative to today—either due to higher mantle fluxes52, ongoing crustal oxidation during metamorphism hence more reduced metamorphic fluxes40 or greater submarine volcanism resulting in more reduced volatiles53—would affect the stability of an oxygen-sink-controlled feedback regime.”
From Atmospheric oxygen regulation at low Proterozoic levels by incomplete oxidative weathering of sedimentary organic carbon (2017) · cites this paper as [53]
Following the Archaean-Proterozoic transition, subaerial volcanism appears to have become more pervasive due to stabilisation of the continents.
“Following the Archaean-Proterozoic transition, subaerial volcanism appears to have become more pervasive due to stabilisation of the continents.”
From Iron formations: A global record of Neoarchaean to Palaeoproterozoic environmental history (2017) · cites this paper as Kump and Barley, 2007
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- Authors
- Kump, L. R., & Barley, M. E.
- Affiliations
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Kump, Lee R.
- ORCID
- Kump, Lee R.
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 2007-08
- Volume
- 448
- Issue
- 7157
- Pages
- 1033-1036
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W2040046519
- Cited by
- 403
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 29
- FWCI
- 12.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- NASA Astrobiology Institute
- Australian Research Council
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geophysics › Geological and Geochemical Analysis
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
- Keywords
- Great Oxidation Event, atmospheric oxygen rise, subaerial volcanism, submarine volcanism, oxygen sink, tectonic evolution, Proterozoic volcanism
- MeSH terms
- Cyanobacteria, Atmosphere, Oceans and Seas, Oxygen, Photosynthesis, Sulfur Isotopes, Time Factors, Volcanic Eruptions, Geologic Sediments, History, Ancient
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