A new study from Stanford University has unveiled a surprising geological mystery from 34 million years ago when Earth underwent a dramatic climate shift.
Conventional models predicted that this cooling event would lead to significant sediment deposits along the world’s ocean floors, yet the study, published in Earth-Science Reviews, reveals a widespread absence of these deposits. This gap in the geologic record is challenging our understanding of ancient sedimentary processes and could offer insights into the impacts of today’s rapid climate changes.
About 34 million years ago, the Earth transitioned from a warm “hothouse” climate to a colder “icehouse” state. This shift, marking the boundary between the Eocene and Oligocene epochs, introduced ice sheets to Antarctica, brought sea levels crashing down, and led to massive die-offs among both land and marine life. Scientists have long believed that these conditions would create extensive sedimentary deposits as eroded material from the continents washed into the ocean basins.
Stanford’s research team, however, has found an unexpected absence of these anticipated deposits. After reviewing hundreds of studies and geological surveys, they discovered a global gap in the sediment record dating to this critical period. “The results have left us wondering, ‘where did all the sediment go?’” said Stephan Graham, senior author of the study and professor at Stanford’s Doerr School of Sustainability.
Using a combination of offshore drilling records, seismic data, and studies of onshore rock outcrops, lead author Zack Burton and his team examined over a hundred locations worldwide. They were surprised to find that rather than thick sediment deposits, they encountered widespread gaps in the rock record – signs of significant erosion but little in the way of preserved sedimentary material.
Burton’s team employed a unique method by synthesizing decades of geologic research and examining the data with the aid of modern online databases. According to Graham, the comprehensive approach could be key in identifying similar unexplored periods in Earth’s history. “There could be other similar events in the geologic past that would bear a closer investigation,” he said.
The researchers found that while the literature review approach isn’t new, the scale of this review – enabled by extensive digital resources – led to remarkable and unexpected findings. “The actual process of reappraising, reinvestigating, and reanalyzing literature that has in some cases been out for decades is challenging, but can be very fruitful,” said Burton.
The research team has proposed a few theories to explain this lack of sedimentation. They suggest that intense ocean currents may have scoured the seafloor, sweeping away sediment before it could settle. Additionally, glacial erosion around newly icy Antarctica could have rerouted sediment far offshore, potentially out to the deep ocean plains. Meanwhile, continental shelves newly exposed by falling sea levels might have redirected sediment away from typical deposition areas along the ocean’s edge.
These mechanisms indicate a possible set of global controls, suggesting that large-scale climate events can significantly affect sedimentary systems worldwide.
While the ancient cooling event was larger in scale, it unfolded over a much longer period compared to today’s rapid, human-driven climate change. Nonetheless, the findings underscore how dramatic environmental changes can fundamentally reshape Earth’s sedimentary landscapes. “Our findings can help inform us of the kinds of radical changes that can happen on the Earth’s surface in the face of rapid climate change,” Graham said.
The Stanford team’s discovery adds new depth to the study of Earth’s ancient past, reinforcing the idea that understanding past climate shifts can help scientists better anticipate the effects of future environmental changes. By exploring these ancient events, researchers are gaining valuable insights into the ways modern-day climate change could affect our planet.
Journal Reference:
Zachary F.M. Burton, Tim R. McHargue, Stephan A. Graham, ‘Global Eocene-Oligocene unconformity in clastic sedimentary basins’, Earth-Science Reviews 258, 104912 (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104912
Article Source:
Press Release/Material by Stanford University
Featured image: A review of research of over a hundred geographical sites worldwide, outlining every continental landmass, has revealed a globally extensive gap in the geologic record. Credit: frimufilms | Freepik
