The emplacement of the Siberian Traps, the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) and the Wrangellia have been linked to end-Permian, end-Triassic mass extinctions, and to the Carnian Pluvial Episode (CPE), respectively. Exploring the timing, eruptive styles, and volatile degassing of these Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) is crucial to understand their causal link to the catastrophic environmental crises that punctuated the Triassic. In this study we review the main characteristics of these LIPs, emphasizing common features and differences, and discussing aspects that are still in debate. Estimates of CO2 budgets and emissions from the three LIPs are based on the Nb content of little evolved basalts and highlight that early Siberian Traps and CAMP and high-Ti Wrangellia volcanics were quite CO2-rich. On the contrary, other volcanics from the three LIPs probably emitted relatively low amounts of CO2, which reinforces the possibility that thermogenic reactions between sills and sedimen
Comet Lovejoy. Image credit: John Vermette (photographer).
### Photodissociation and comet colors
Unlike the tail of a comet, the coma, a nebulous envelope around the solid, central part of the comet, is often green. This phenomenon is explained by the destruction of the molecule C2 by sunlight through a process called photodissociation, but the mechanism is unclear. Using velocity map imaging and multiphoton ionization, Jasmin Borsovszky et al. directly observed C2 photodissociation in the laboratory, revealing the mechanism by which sunlight destroys C2 in comets. Based on the speed of the recoiling carbon atoms, the authors precisely calculated the bond dissociation energy (BDE), or the strength of the chemical bond, of C2 to be 602.782(29) kJ mol−1, making the uncertainties of the BDEs comparable for C2 and its more experimentally accessible counterparts N2 and O2. Consistent with astronomical observations, the authors calculated the lifetime of cometary C2 to be 1.6 × 105 s
New evidence links ancient eruptions to climate changes that let dinos start a climb to dominance The biggest beasts to walk the Earth had humble beginnings. The first dinosaurs were cat-sized, lurking in the shadows, just waiting for their.
In an interesting new study, researchers have revealed that several ancient volcanic eruptions actually helped the dinosaurs to dominate the planet and thrive for so many millions of years. The volcanic eruptions started happening about 230 million years ago which caused significant changes to the environment and ecology such as Earth’s carbon cycle as well. Read more »
A volcano-induced rainy period made Earth s climate dinosaur-friendly sciencenews.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sciencenews.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.