Sulfur isotopes—Use for stratigraphy during times of rapid perturbations

Yao, Weiqi; Wortmann, Ulrich G.; Paytan, Adina

Abstract

The sulfur isotopic composition of seawater sulfate oscillates over geological time, responding to changes in the redox state and biogeochemical processes on the Earth's surface. During times of rapid perturbations in sulfur isotopes where biostratigraphic controls do not provide good temporal resolution, sulfur isotopes of seawater sulfate can be a useful tool for stratigraphic correlations. Secular data of seawater sulfur isotopes archived in evaporite, carbonate associated sulfate, and marine barite from worldwide locations allow reconstruction of a continuous seawater sulfate S-isotope curve for the Phanerozoic and Protozoic. For some time-intervals (e.g., the Cenozoic), excursions in high resolution records are identified and these short-term fluctuations can be applied for stratigraphy and correlation. High resolution S-isotope records can also substantially enhance our understanding of temporal variations in the global sulfur cycle and earth system evolution.

Citation

Yao, W., Wortmann, U. G., & Paytan, A. (2019). Sulfur isotopes—Use for stratigraphy during times of rapid perturbations. In M. Montenari (Ed.), Stratigraphy & Timescales (1-33). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.sats.2019.08.004

• Online Publication Date: Nov 9, 2019
• Publication Date: 2019
• Deposit Date: Jun 12, 2023
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Pages: 1-33
• Series Title: Case Studies in Isotope Stratigraphy
• Series ISSN: 2468-5178
• Book Title: Stratigraphy & Timescales
• Chapter Number: 1
• ISBN: 978-0-12-817552-1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.sats.2019.08.004