2021 Virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium

2021 Virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium

Paleogene Climate Zones

Paleogene Climate Zones

PROJECT NUMBER: 51 | AUTHOR: Chad Abarbanel​, Geology and Geological Engineering

MENTOR: Piret Bjorklund, Geology and Geological Engineering

ABSTRACT

The research conducted was to provide an insight and analysis into the climate zones and types of change during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum time period, around 56 million years ago. The Earth’s mean temperature increased around 6 degrees Celsius during this time, thus the effects of this change on different areas must be considered. Seasonality types such as tropical and temperate climates were found in the Arctic and the Antarctic respectively, while hot, dry, and humid climates were found across the northern/mid-latitudes. Other climate zones such as temperate climates were also found generally within the more northern latitudes. Less abundant climate zones were observed as well, such as ever-wet and continental climate types. Methods including, but not limited to carbon isotope excursion, CLAMP, zircon dating, leaf margin analysis, nitrogen isotope dating, MAP/MAT analysis, and erosional processes were used to obtain data dedicated to determining seasonality types. As studied, the increasing MAT of the Earth induced major changes across latitudes, where tropical and humid seasonality types were found across mid-latitudes and surrounding areas, and hot, dry climates were found to be slightly above the humid climate types. Latitudinal trends were observed for temperate climate types, around northern and southern areas, while humid/tropical climate zones had more of a longitudinal and latitudinal trend; the eastern half of the Earth experienced hotter and more humid temperatures than the western half, using the Atlantic Ocean as a datum. The Earth can expect to experience similar areas of seasonality climates if the current mean annual temperature continues to increase at this alarming rate. In the near future, the Earth could most likely experience more hot and arid temperatures due to the change from natural global warming (PETM) to the now increasing anthropogenic global warming.

PRESENTATION

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Chad Abarbanel, a current Junior in Geological Engineering (mineral exploration track), conducts research within the Geology and geological engineering department at Colorado School of Mines. The research conducted presents Paleogene Climate Zones during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, their latitudinal and longitudinal trends on an interactive map, as well as a brief analysis into the global warming that humans experience today. The research that Chad ultimately wants to partake in includes but is not limited to: paleo-planetary climatology, planetary volcanology processes, and planetary seismology.

5 Comments

  1. The interactive map was very helpful to visualize where the different climatic zones due to the warming trend were located vs what they are now in their present locations.

  2. What type of trends are you seeing in the PETM versus today (or in the future)? Do you see the future climate matching the PETM climate?

  3. Hi Chad,
    I love the interactive map, that’s a really creative way to show your research. Do you think the rapid rate at which global warming is happening today will cause a different results compared to the Paleocene-Eocene?

  4. You mention that used a lot of different methods for this research. Why was it necessary to use such a large variety of methods used for this research?

  5. Hi Chad,
    The interactive map was a great way to illustrate how environments varied compared to what we know of these areas today. While this is being used to help predict what trends we might see in the near future; how else do you hope to elaborate on this research?

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