Cited by 756Paleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsGeological and Geochemical AnalysisGeochemistry and Elemental Analysis

Calibration of Sulfate Levels in the Archean Ocean

Habicht, Kirsten S., Gade, Michael, Thamdrup, Bo, Berg, Peter, Canfield, Donald E.·2002·Science

Abstract

The size of the marine sulfate reservoir has grown through Earth's history, reflecting the accumulation of oxygen into the atmosphere. Sulfur isotope fractionation experiments on marine and freshwater sulfate reducers, together with the isotope record, imply that oceanic Archean sulfate concentrations were <200 microM, which is less than one-hundredth of present marine sulfate levels and one-fifth of what was previously thought. Such low sulfate concentrations were maintained by volcanic outgassing of SO2 gas, and severely suppressed sulfate reduction rates allowed for a carbon cycle dominated by methanogenesis.

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Crossref · 10.1126/science.1078265

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23 of 23 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • The absence of mass-dependent sulfur isotope fractionation indicates little Archean seawater sulfate and implies anoxic air.

    “The absence of this isotope fractionation indicates little Archean seawater sulfate and implies anoxic air.”

    From The Archean atmosphere (2020) · cites this paper as [74]

  • In contrast to the preceding Archean eon, when marine sulfate concentrations were vanishingly small and methane undoubtedly contributed significantly to greenhouse warming, both methane production and preservation may have been challenged during the boring billion.

    “In contrast to the preceding Archean eon, when marine sulfate concentrations were vanishingly small (Habicht et al., 2002; Crowe et al., 2014) and methane (CH4) undoubtedly contributed significantly to greenhouse warming, both methane production and preservation may have been challenged during the boring billion.”
  • The extremely 34S-depleted pyrite suggests that microbial sulfate reduction occurred under sulfate-unlimited conditions in the upper portion of the MDF interval.

    “The extremely 34S-depleted pyrite suggests that microbial sulfate reduction occurred under sulfate-unlimited conditions in the upper portion of the MDF interval (60).”
  • High δ34S values of +2.4 to +24.4‰ further downcore in the S-MIF and transitional intervals are consistent with quantitative sulfate reduction under low oceanic sulfate levels before the GOE.

    “In contrast, high δ34S values of +2.4 to +24.4‰ further downcore in the S-MIF and transitional intervals are consistent with quantitative sulfate reduction under low oceanic sulfate levels (60) before the GOE.”
  • A much higher sink of seawater sulfate is required to maintain the very low sulfate levels previously suggested.

    “Therefore, a much higher sink of seawater sulfate is required to maintain the very low sulfate levels previously suggested (8, 34, 60).”

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Authors
Habicht, K. S., Gade, M., Thamdrup, B., Berg, P., & Canfield, D. E.
Affiliations
  • University of Southern Denmark (DK)
  • University of Virginia (US)
Corresponding author
Canfield, Donald E.
Venue
Science
Published
2002-12-20
Volume
298
Issue
5602
Pages
2372-2374
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
OpenAlex
W2034146435
Cited by
756
References
23
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 35 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 43 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 52 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 41 · 2013: 38 · 2012: 46
FWCI
18.59
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (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 › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
Keywords
Archean ocean, marine sulfate, sulfur isotope fractionation, sulfate reduction, volcanic outgassing, SO2, methanogenesis
MeSH terms
Anaerobiosis, Bacteria, Fresh Water, Iron, Methane, Oceans and Seas, Oxidation-Reduction, Oxygen, Seawater, Sulfates, Sulfides, Time, Geologic Sediments, Archaeoglobus fulgidus

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