Snowball Earth!

Snowball Earth!The Earths most radical climate change

Ivan Wiley

1www.naturalclimatechange.us/added%2012.../Snowball%20Earth!.pptx1ObjectiveUnderstand the effects of Snowball EarthCause and effectsNatural vs. Anthropogenic CauseComparing ppm in the past to see if that caused intense glaciations and ending vs. modern ICCP statesNatural cycleHow effected life on earthFrom Pre-Ediacara life to Cambrian explosionPlate tectonics were huge role for climate changeCO2 drawdownMisconception of CO2 caused global warming effect, although scientists mentioned that was much higher in the past.2Definition of Theorytheorynoun \th--r, thir-\: the analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another : abstract thought : speculation : the general or abstract principles of a body of fact, a science, or an art.a : a belief, policy, or procedure proposed or followed as the basis of action b : an ideal or hypothetical set of facts, principles, or circumstances often used in the phrase in theory : a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena

a : a hypothesis assumed for the sake of argument or investigation b : an unproved assumption : conjecture c : a body of theorems presenting a concise systematic view of a subject " http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theory However, scientific theories changes all the time.3How Theory WorksAssumptionMake a guessTheoryTest the hypothesis and investigate (a lot!)Scientific theories never works if just the assumptions.That is why ICCP never works although fear works for millions of people. (Hey Al, please dont try to scare us, because it doesnt work anymore.)All sciences are based on theories, not just a guess. You have to test it to see if there are good correlations(patterns) to the theories; not jump in conclusion.Finally, you have to prove that it is really true.However, the Snowball Earth is still a theory because it is not finished with it.4Origin of Snowball Earth TheoryW. Brian Harland (1917-2003)created in 1964According to Chris Bauer & Ryan Djay: The premise of this theory is that during the Pre-Cambrian era, the continents resided near the Southern Hemisphere and the inter planet was covered by Glacial Ice Sheets form the Poles to the Equator.http://www.atmos.washington.edu/2009Q1/111/ATMS111%20Presentations/Folder%203/BauerC_DjayR.pdf Paul F. Hoffman (b.1941), a geologist carrying torch for Harlands theory. Worked on his field for more than 40 years.Ive seen countless of websites, scientific journals, and other sources from that he studies tirelessly on the theory as well searching for evidences and he became very widely famous for the Snowball Earth theory. 5New Evidence of SB Earth TheoryPhosphorus nutrients helped speeds up the evolution of underwater life. (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101027133146.htm)A spike in ancient marine phosphorus concentration from 750 to 635 million years ago is linked to emergence of complex life. (http://yubanet.com/scitech/New-evidence-supports-Snowball-Earth-as-trigger-for-early-animal-evolution.php Pushes Snowball Earth timeline earlier; however, they are not sure since it is so new. (Kaigas)New recent precision of the date time of Sturtian.716.5 Mya (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/03/100304-snowball-earth-ice-global-warming)Scientific theories change all the time.

6Some Dispute from the TheoryKnown as anomalous(deviation from normal)evidenceone of the present holes in the Snowball Earth theory are intervals in chemical weathering found during this time period, which leads one to belief that there were both warm and cold periods during the so called Snowball Earth, which is not possible if the Earth was completely frozen over.One of the other present details anomalous to the Snowball Earth theory is the finding of complex photosynthesizing organisms found in black shale rock dating to this time period, which Alison Olcott believes proves that there were some open areas of ocean at the time.Some call it Mudball Earth because of volcanic eruptions dirtied the planet.http://www.atmos.washington.edu/2009Q1/111/ATMS111%20Presentations/Folder%203/BauerC_DjayR.pdf http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/03/100304-snowball-earth-ice-global-warming 7Snowball Earth DefinitionIt is a time of one of the most intense ice ages-up to four episodes of climate changes.750-580 MyaMile high Ice covered completely (or almost) on earthWorld-wide glaciationsPure White EarthEight hundred million years ago, during the Neoproterozioc Era, Earth under went a monstrous ice age. There is evidence of glacial ice in tropical latitudes, only 15o to 30o north of equator. In our world, this would mean glaciers as far south as Miami, Florida. Earth would have looked like a different planet, with no open ocean and few areas of exposed rock. Only ice and snow, an world of almost pure whiteHoffman, L. Doug & Simmons Allen. The Resilient Earth. (Snowball Earth index) P75-76 & 83.

8Snowball Earth Processhttp://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2010/03/snowball-earth-date-frozen-by-scientists/1

9Theories of Snowball Earth1) High Tilt Axis- 70 degrees and preferential glaciation at low altitude.2) Extreme runaway glaciation due to ice reflection from solar energy. (Albedo)3) Volcanic and plate tectonic at the same time that caused glaciation.4) Lower solar luminosity. Six percent lower than now.(Plimer p170)

10Galactic Spiral Arm CycleSagittarius-Carina Arm134 +-(give or take) 10 million years cycleWhen the Solar System reach into the spiral galactic arm, they are cooler. Thats one of the reason that the earth underwent the cooling phase.(Hoffman & Simmons p167)

1111Deep Distant PastFirst Ice age was about three billion years ago (http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Paleoclimate )The first Snowball Earth was ~2.3 Billion years agoKnown as Huronian glaciationStromatolites were at the top species.Oxygen level risenSky became blue (From: How the Earth was Made Video. History Channel)Plate tectonicsProkaryotes was dominated by Eukaryotes.Evidences of BIFs (Banded Iron Formations) all over the world.12Increase of Oxygen Timeline

http://cosmology.com/Cosmology3.html 13Correlations:Plate Tectonics~3 billion years ago, Ur formed as the only continent on Earth. ~2.8 billion years ago, Ur was a part of the major supercontinent Kenorland. ~2 billion years ago, Ur was a part of the major supercontinent Columbia. ~1 billion years ago, Ur was a part of the major supercontinent Rodinia. ~550 million years ago, Ur was a part of the major supercontinent Pannotia.14http://pediaview.com/openpedia/Ur_(continent) Contributions of CO2 through Plate TectonicsAs we can see, geologic processes contribute CO2 to the atmosphere by three main routes: 1) Volcanism: outgassing of magmas formed in crust and mantle 2) Production of calcium carbonate: the precipitation of calcium carbonate (part of the biological pump) also releases CO2 to the atmosphere 3) Metamorphism: CO2 is liberated when carbonate minerals undergo metamorphism

http://www.indiana.edu/~geol105b/1425chap8.htm 15Geological Timescale During Neoproterozoic Glaciations

http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect20/A12c.html16Why is it important to study?Because natural cause is always more powerful effect life on earth (including human).Pushes life on earth to strive on a new environmentBuild ecosystemsLife flourished while high CO2 and building further to more complex ecosystems.Plant first, then animalWithout CO2, there would be no life on earth.Without Snowball Earth events, life expansion would be much slower and human would not be here.

17Cause and EffectPlate tectonics cause a massive CO2 drawdown (reduce).Albedo bounced heat back in space, thereby ice became more permanent.Massive volcanic eruption helped developed intense greenhouse effect to prevent permanent ice age.Life flourished after thatAt least two huge and long glacial events

1818Evidences all around the worldEvidences of fossil species changeFossilized drop stones found worldwide: China, Russia, Australia, Africa, North America, and others.Close to home: California, Death Valley National ParkFormation: Panamint Range, Kingston Peak, Noonday Dolomite

19Banded Iron Formation

http://www.snowballearth.org/slides/Ch3-5.jpg 20Avg. Global Temperature~ -50 degrees C to 40 degrees C in variation of icehouse/greenhouse event. Patterns:Evidences were found in BIF; Oxygen revolution then CO2 increases.Always in cycles.Fossilized glacial drop stoneshttp://www.snowballearth.org/end.html 21Avg. Snowball Earth Global Temp

http://www.snowballearth.org/end.html 22Rodinia TimelineLate Precambrian supercontinent1.1 Bya Rodinia assemblage750 Mya started to break up600 Mya Pan-Africa orogeny (mountain building) forming new continent Pannotia550 Mya Pannotia Breaking up several small fragmentsLaurentia (N. America)Baltica (N. Europe)SiberiaLarge piece (China, Africa, S. America, and Antarctica) called Godwanda

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/dec98/913866772.Sh.r.html 23Evidences of Tectonic Regimes

http://www.snowballearth.org/slides/Ch13-7b.gif 24Neoproterozoic Glaciations TimelineSturtian Glaciation Period ~750 to 710 MYAVaranger-Marinoa Glaciation Period ~630 to 600 MYASinian Period Glaciation ~600 MYA to 570 MYAGaskiers Period Glaciation ~580 MYAhttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/474302/Precambrian-time/69805/Orogenic-belts?anchor=ref585166http://geol.queensu.ca/people/narbonne/NarbonneAREPS2005Final.pdf 25Comparing CO2: Past and ModernScientist Bao mentioned that late Precambrian glaciation was at the coldest in the past 750 million years.Massive methane output(due to massive volcanic activities).He stated that past CO2 was much higher in the Early Cambrian than the later geological periods.http://www.geol.lsu.edu/images/Features/nature%20article.pdf 26CO2 of the Geological PastPCO2 much higher than in the early Cambrian period than the later geological periods.Neoproterozoic global glaciation was at the highest level. Their finding is consistent with the Snowball Earth hypothesis and/or a massive methane release after the Marinoan glaciations.20 times higher in Early Cambrian period(4,200 ppm) than the late Paleozoic or modern era.Marinoan glaciation immediately aftermath was at 12,000 ppm of CO2 (highest Pco2 ever since 750 Mya)Two causes: 1) long term build up of volcanic CO2 in the atmosphere up to ~350 times of the modern level. Then, the albedo was being offset by the volcanic eruptions. 2) A second cause could be a catastrophic release of methane hydrates just after a global deglaciation, which, on the oxidation of methane, give rise to a high Pco2 level.http://www.geol.lsu.edu/images/Features/nature%20article.pdf 27Plate Tectonic Cause and EffectCO2 drawdown (reduction) was caused by plate tectonic.Massive loss of CO2 cause in reduction in greenhouse effect turning earth into a giant snowball in space.Causes massive volcanic eruptions.Changes in sea levels.Methane clathrate, also called methane hydrate, methane ice or "fire ice" is a solid clathrate compound (more specifically, a clathrate hydrate) in which a large amount of methane is trapped within a crystal structure of water, forming a solid similar to ice.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane_HydrateA gas hydrate that contains methane as the guest molecule; It occurs both in deep sedimentary structures, and as outcrops on the ocean floor.http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/methane_hydrate 28Last 600 Mya Avg. Global Temp: There is no correlation between CO2 and temperatures!

Hey Al, can you say there is no correlation between CO2 and temperatures?!29Temperature after C.R. Scotese http://www.scotese.com/climate.htmCO2 after R.A. Berner, 2001 (GEOCARB III)Water VaporLand mass were not as big as today and plants have not reached to the land yet; therefore, there is no plant on land to hold or collect water.Water vapor contributes or control the global temperature.Water vapors controls 95% of global temperature (greenhouse gas by volume).30

http://www.scotese.com 31Origin Animal Ecosystem Build-upSpeed up of animal ecosystems started at Cryogenian event before EdiacaraSimple one celled species to multicelluar animalsExtreme hot & cold climate pushed species to the edge of survival.However, it was also the CO2 that has helped life to strive better.Changing climates speed up the evolution process.Several trials and errors of species build-up are normal.For example, developing new kinds of body functions.

32Cryogenian Period~850 to 635 MyaSimple milti-celluar species were microscopic before having a complex body functions.For example, eyes, brains, ears, and have not formed until after the last Precambrian glaciations.

http://www.palaeos.org/Cryogenian 33

Cryogenian Periodhttp://www.landesbioscience.com/curie/chapter/3751

34Vendian PeriodBoth Precambrian and Vendian periods species experienced at least one mass extinction.Up to 70% of predominant Precambrian species were already being extinct.Have not had the hard shelled bodies and complex organs yet.

http://park.org/Canada/Museum/extinction/venmass.html 35Ediacaran SpeciesLater part of Vendian Period.After the Varangian glaciation was over, the rapid warming.As a result, new kind of species took over the earth.Narbonne, a geologist, mentioned that the Ediacaran animal biota was a failed experimental ecosystem build-up.They were immobile, floating around the area near the ocean to absorb sunlight for food.Free (or very few) of predatorsAlthough, Ediacaran species vanished from the fossil records, some species are known to evolve to new species.http://www.livescience.com/animals/090204-first-animals.htmlhttp://geol.queensu.ca/people/narbonne/NarbonneAREPS2005Final.pdf 36Fossil Localization Ediacara Timeline

http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect20/A12c.html

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/474302/95798/Spriggina-fossil-from-the-Ediacaran-Period-found-in-the-Ediacara 37Ediacara Fossil Species

http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect20/A12c.html38

Volcanic eruption ensued to give room for Greenhouse effects to warm up the Earth.Final global glaciation (Glaskiers) was over.Cambrian ExplosionBurgess Shale in Canada(Serengeti animals in the past)Rises of the shelly fossils.Predators were diversified extremely rapidly.Some even theorized that the new species ate so much that could cause the extinction of Ediacaran species, but they are not sure.Calcified (CaCO3) sea help developed hard shell for more protection from other predators.Limestone-sea shells, coral, skeleton, etc.

Rising and Changing Specieshttp://www.astrobio.net/exclusive/2360/phosphate-does-a-body-good 39Comparing the difference in amere ~ fifty million years apart. Ediacara Cambrian

http://www.astrobio.net/exclusive/2360/phosphate-does-a-body-goodhttp://www.artsjournal.com/artopia/ptgbyD.W.%20Miller.jpg 40ConclusionsNatural occurrences have more devastating effect on earth and life came back better than before.Other word, life will find a way.For example, warmer temperature flourished life.Plate tectonic, Solar energy are a prime examples of a great effects life on earth.There is no correlation to the CO2 and temperature. So there are other factors that cause climate change.We are causing tiny effect(if so ever) on the CO2 today compared to the deep geological past.High CO2 plays the role to huge spurt of life on earth, not the danger to life.Without Snowball Earth, we would not be here.Science changes all the time over time.That is why called theories.

41SourcesSources:1. -Definition of Theory.2.. The Snowball Earth Theory by Chris Bauer & Ryan Djay.3. University of California-Riverside. New Evidence Supports Snowball Earth as Trigger for Early Animal Evolution ScienceDaily 27 October 2010. 24 November 2010 .. 4. Imperial College London. New Evidence Puts Snowball Earth Theory out In The Cold. ScienceDaily 25 March 2007. 24 November 2010..5. . Why isnt Rodina called Pangea Anymore? Answered by Davis Smith, Ph.D., La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA.6. . Cryogenian.7. . Ediacaran.8. . Cryogenian snowballs9. . Oldest Fossil Evidence for Animals Found. Robin Lloyd, LiveScience Senior Editor posed on Feb. 4, 2009 at 1:00 pm ET.10. Triple oxygen isotope evidence for elevated co2 levels after a Neoproterozioc glaciations by Huiming Bao, J.R. Lyons, & Chuanming Zhou. Nature May 2008. 11. A snowball Earth climate triggered by continental break-up through changes in runoff. By Yannick Donnadieu, Yves Godderis, Gilles Ramtein, Anne Nedeliec & Joseph Meert. Nature March 16, 2004. www.nature.com/nature.

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