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Cited by 912Paleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsGeological and Geochemical AnalysisAstro and Planetary Science

Mass-Independent Fractionation of Sulfur Isotopes in Archean Sediments: Strong Evidence for an Anoxic Archean Atmosphere

Pavlov, A.A., Kasting, J.F.·2002·Astrobiology
DOI 10.1089/153110702753621321
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Abstract

Mass-independent fractionation (MIF) of sulfur isotopes has been reported in sediments of Archean and Early Proterozoic Age (> 2.3 Ga) but not in younger rocks. The only fractionation mechanism that is consistent with the data on all four sulfur isotopes involves atmospheric photochemical reactions such as SO2 photolysis. We have used a one-dimensional photochemical model to investigate how the isotopic fractionation produced during SO2 photolysis would have been transferred to other gaseous and particulate sulfur-bearing species in both low-O2 and high-O2 atmospheres. We show that in atmospheres with O2 concentrations < 10(-5) times the present atmospheric level (PAL), sulfur would have been removed from the atmosphere in a variety of different oxidation states, each of which would have had its own distinct isotopic signature. By contrast, in atmospheres with O2 concentrations > or = 10(-5) PAL, all sulfur-bearing species would have passed through the oceanic sulfate reservoir before being incorporated into sediments, so any signature of MIF would have been lost. We conclude that the atmospheric O2 concentration must have been < 10(-5) PAL prior to 2.3 Ga.

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Crossref · 10.1089/153110702753621321

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  • In anoxic air, sulfur ends up in insoluble S8 aerosols and water-soluble sulfate and SO2, unlike today's atmospheric sulfur, which almost entirely oxidizes to sulfate.

    “In anoxic air, sulfur ends up in insoluble S8 aerosols and water-soluble sulfate and SO2, unlike today’s atmospheric sulfur, which almost entirely oxidizes to sulfate (44, 45).”

    From The Archean atmosphere (2020) · cites this paper as [45]

  • Production and preservation of non-mass-dependent sulfur isotope anomalies in Archean and earliest Paleoproterozoic sedimentary rocks indicate that atmospheric pO2 was maintained at extremely low values, likely below approximately 10^-7 PAL, for most of Archean time.

    “However, the production and preservation of non-mass-dependent sulfur isotope anomalies (NMD-S) in Archean and earliest Paleoproterozoic sedimentary rocks indicate that atmospheric pO 2 was maintained at extremely low values, likely below ∼10 -7 PAL, for most of Archean time (Farquhar et al. 2000, Pavlov & Kasting 2002, Zahnle et al. 2006) (Figure 3a).”

    From The History of Ocean Oxygenation (2022) · cites this paper as Pavlov & Kasting 2002

  • Photochemical models indicate that pO2 must be above approximately 10^-5 PAL to prevent production and delivery of NMD-S anomalies near Earth's surface.

    “Photochemical models indicate that pO 2 must be above ∼10 -5 PAL to prevent the production and delivery of NMD-S anomalies near Earth's surface (Pavlov & Kasting 2002, Zahnle et al. 2006).”

    From The History of Ocean Oxygenation (2022) · cites this paper as Pavlov & Kasting 2002

  • Atmospheric pO2 must have been less than 10−5 times the present atmospheric level for the production and preservation of S-MIF signals.

    “Furthermore, results of one-dimensional (1D) photochemical modeling suggested that atmospheric pO2 must have been less than 10−5 times the present atmospheric level (PAL) for the production and preservation of S-MIF signals (31).”

    From Rapid oxygenation of Earth’s atmosphere 2.33 billion years ago (2016) · cites this paper as [31]

  • The authors accept ~10−5 PAL as the nominal threshold above which S-MIF is no longer preserved and apply it as a robust tool for tracing the first rise in pO2 to >10−5 PAL.

    “By accepting the original value of ~10−5 PAL as the nominal threshold above which S-MIF is no longer preserved, we apply it here as a robust tool for tracing the first rise in pO2 to >10−5 PAL because of its potential for high stratigraphic resolution (1, 31, 33).”

    From Rapid oxygenation of Earth’s atmosphere 2.33 billion years ago (2016) · cites this paper as [31]

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Authors
Pavlov, A. A., & Kasting, J. F.
Affiliations
  • University of Colorado Boulder (US)
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Astrobiology
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2002-03
Volume
2
Issue
1
Pages
27-41
ISSN
  • 1531-1074 (ISSN-L)
  • 1557-8070
DOI
10.1089/153110702753621321
OpenAlex
W2054861741
Cited by
912
References
54
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 54 · 2019: 56 · 2018: 67 · 2017: 51 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 41 · 2014: 37 · 2013: 60 · 2012: 44
FWCI
21.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Astrobiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
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 › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
Keywords
Archean atmosphere, atmospheric oxygen, photochemical modeling, sulfur cycling, Early Proterozoic
MeSH terms
Archaea, Atmosphere, Molecular Weight, Sulfur Isotopes

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