Study Finds Drastic Fluctuations in Atmospheric Oxygen After its Early Appearance
Written by AZoCleantechApr 6 2021
A new study reveals that the permanent increase in oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere, which enabled the emergence of life as it is known, occurred 100 million years later than considered earlier.
Biogeochemist Simon Poulton, left, sprays water on drill core to see sedimentary rocks and select samples for research. Image Credit: Andrey Bekker/UCR.
A major increase in oxygen happened nearly 2.43 billion years ago, which marked the beginning of the Great Oxidation Episode a crucial moment in Earth’s history.
An international team of scientists, including a researcher from UC Riverside, investigated rocks from South Africa formed at the time of this event.
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IMAGE: Research team leader sprays water on drill cores to see sedimentary rocks and select samples for this study. view more
Credit: Andrey Bekker/UCR
New research shows the permanent rise of oxygen in our atmosphere, which set the stage for life as we know it, happened 100 million years later than previously thought.
A significant rise in oxygen occurred about 2.43 billion years ago, marking the start of the Great Oxidation Episode a pivotal moment in Earth s history.
An international research team including a UC Riverside scientist analyzed rocks from South Africa formed during this event. Findings, published this week in the journal