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Geochemistry
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Volume 8, Number 12
Geophysics 11 December 2007
Q12002, doi:10.1029/2007GC001784
Geosystems
AN ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF THE EARTH SCIENCES ISSN: 1525-2027
Published by AGU and the Geochemical Society

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On the duration of the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum

(PETM)
Ursula Röhl and Thomas Westerhold
Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), Bremen University, Leobener Strasse, D-28359 Bremen,
Germany ([email protected])

Timothy J. Bralower
Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA

James C. Zachos
Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA

[1] The Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) is one of the best known examples of a transient
climate perturbation, associated with a brief, but intense, interval of global warming and a massive
perturbation of the global carbon cycle from injection of isotopically light carbon into the ocean-
atmosphere system. One key to quantifying the mass of carbon released, identifying the source(s), and
understanding the ultimate fate of this carbon is to develop high-resolution age models. Two independent
strategies have been employed, cycle stratigraphy and analysis of extraterrestrial helium (HeET), both of
which were first tested on Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 690. These two methods are in agreement
for the onset of the PETM and initial recovery, or the clay layer (‘‘main body’’), but seem to differ in the
final recovery phase of the event above the clay layer, where the carbonate contents rise and carbon isotope
values return toward background values. Here we present a state-of-the-art age model for the PETM
derived from a new orbital chronology developed with cycle stratigraphic records from sites drilled during
ODP Leg 208 (Walvis Ridge, Southeastern Atlantic) integrated with published records from Site 690
(Weddell Sea, Southern Ocean, ODP Leg 113). During Leg 208, five Paleocene-Eocene (P-E) boundary
sections (Sites 1262 to 1267) were recovered in multiple holes over a depth transect of more than 2200 m
at the Walvis Ridge, yielding the first stratigraphically complete P-E deep-sea sequence with moderate to
relatively high sedimentation rates (1 to 3 cm/ka, where ‘‘a’’ is years). A detailed chronology was
developed with nondestructive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) core scanning records on the scale of precession
cycles, with a total duration of the PETM now estimated to be
170 ka. The revised cycle stratigraphic
record confirms original estimates for the duration of the onset and initial recovery but suggests a new
duration for the final recovery that is intermediate to the previous estimates by cycle stratigraphy and HeET.

Components: 8385 words, 5 figures, 3 tables.

Keywords: XRF core scanner; sediment chemistry; cyclostratigraphy; rapid climate change; age model; Paleocene-Eocene
thermal maximum.
Index Terms: 1051 Geochemistry: Sedimentary geochemistry; 1616 Global Change: Climate variability (1635, 3305, 3309,
4215, 4513); 4948 Paleoceanography: Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum; 3036 Marine Geology and Geophysics: Ocean
drilling; 4901 Paleoceanography: Abrupt/rapid climate change (1605).

Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union 1 of 13

 Geochemistry 3
Geophysics
Geosystems G rÖhl et al.: paleocene-eocene thermal maximum 10.1029/2007GC001784

Received 9 August 2007; Revised 8 October 2007; Accepted 24 October 2007; Published 11 December 2007.

Röhl, U., T. Westerhold, T. J. Bralower, and J. C. Zachos (2007), On the duration of the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum
(PETM), Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 8, Q12002, doi:10.1029/2007GC001784.

1. Introduction requires robust estimates of the mass of carbon

released, and hence the rate of the CIE. Until
[ 2 ] The Paleocene Eocene thermal maximum recently, however, estimates of the absolute age
(PETM) is one of the most abrupt and transient of the onset and the duration of the event were
climatic events documented in the geologic record poorly constrained, varying between 54.88 and
[e.g., Zachos et al., 2001, 2005]. This event was 55.50 Ma, and 100 and 250 ka, respectively [e.g.,
associated with pronounced warming of the oceans Kennett and Stott, 1991; Koch et al., 1992; Aubry
and atmosphere, changes in ocean chemistry, and et al., 1996; Röhl and Abrams, 2000; Röhl et al.,
reorganization of the global carbon cycle [Kennett 2000; Farley and Eltgroth, 2003; Giusberti et al.,
and Stott, 1991; Koch et al., 1992; Thomas et al., 2007]. By using an astronomically calibrated but
2002; Zachos et al., 2003, 2005; Tripati and floating timescale, the age of the onset (54.93 to
Elderfield, 2005; Sluijs et al., 2006]. Warming of 54.98 Ma) and the duration (150 to 220 ka) of the
deep waters and subsequent oxygen deficiency CIE were initially determined at Ocean Drilling
may have been responsible for extinction of 30– Program (ODP) Site 1051 [Norris and Röhl, 1999]
50% of deep-sea benthic foraminiferal species then refined using combined records from Sites
[Thomas and Shackleton, 1996] and planktonic 690 and 1051 [Röhl et al., 2000]. However, be-
biota were affected by changes in surface water cause the onset of the PETM in pelagic sequences
habitats [e.g., Kelly et al., 1996; Bralower et al., is marked by a pronounced dissolution layer or
2002; Kelly, 2002; Raffi et al., 2005; Gibbs et al., condensed interval and the recovery by a litholog-
2006a, 2006b]; global warming also may have led ically uniform carbonate-rich interval, an alterna-
to a pulse of speciation or migration among mam- tive constant flux age model was developed
malian groups [e.g., Koch et al., 1992, Bowen et [Farley and Eltgroth, 2003]. This model is based
al., 2001; Gingerich, 2003]. The PETM corre- on the concentrations of extraterrestrial He (3HeET)
sponds to a significant (
3.5 – 4.5%) negative and the assumption that the flux of this isotope to
carbon isotope excursion (CIE) recorded in marine the Earth remained constant during the PETM.
and terrestrial sections [e.g., Kennett and Stott, Both age models are in agreement for the duration
1991; Koch et al., 1992; Bralower et al., 1997; of the main body of the PETM (70–80 ka for the
Zachos et al., 2004, 2005; Schouten et al., 2007]. ‘‘core’’, the onset, peak, and initial recovery phase
The source and triggering mechanism of this event (rapid rise in d13C, but low carbonate; here termed
are still the focus of much debate [e.g., Lourens et phase 1)), but diverge for the final recovery phase
al., 2005; Sluijs et al., 2007; Storey et al., 2007]. of the CIE (slow rise in d 13C, high carbonate; here
An orbital trigger for the PETM and similar (but termed phase II), with orbital age models produc-
less severe) events has been suggested [Lourens et ing 140 ka for this interval and He age models
al., 2005], but the specific orbital parameter asso- 30 ka. Identification of cycles in the Ca (or Fe)
ciation is still not completely resolved [Westerhold records in the recovery interval of the Site 690
et al., 2007]. Other mechanisms that might explain section is complicated due to the high and uniform
the abruptness of the CIE include the input of carbonate content of the sediments.
methane into the ocean and atmosphere from the [4] A new era in Cenozoic paleoceanography was
dissociation of methane hydrates in continental launched with the recovery of Paleogene sediments
margin sediments or from the cracking of coal in multisite depth transects during Ocean Drilling
during rifting of the northern North Atlantic Ocean Program Legs 198 (Shatsky Rise, Pacific Ocean
[Dickens et al., 1995, 1997; Svensen et al., 2004]. [Bralower et al., 2002; Westerhold and Röhl,
[3] Identifying potential triggering mechanisms for 2006]) and 208 (Walvis Ridge, Southeast Atlantic
the PETM, as well as understanding the relation- Ocean [Zachos et al., 2004]). These expeditions
ship between forcing and consequences requires yielded the first high-quality, stratigraphically com-
a very precise and high-resolution chronology. plete sedimentary sequences of the early Paleo-
For example, quantifying the climate sensitivity gene, recovered in offset, multiple-hole sites. The

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Figure 1. Location of ODP Site 690 in the Weddell Sea, Southern Ocean, and ODP Leg 208 Sites 1262 to 1267 on
the Walvis Ridge, South Atlantic. For comparison, ODP Site 1051 located on the Blake Nose in the Western North
Atlantic, the Bighorn Basin section in Wyoming, USA, and the Forada section in northern Italy are also shown.

lithologic and geochemical records generated from These new data provide much better constraints
these cores exhibit the highly cyclic nature of early on the durations of each phase of the CIE, partic-
Paleogene climate, while also demonstrating that the ularly the recovery phases (I and II). These records
early Eocene Greenhouse World was punctuated by will also allow for a more accurate recalibration of
multiple transient global warming events, or hyper- the He isotope chronology from Site 690 [Farley
thermals [Thomas et al., 2000; Zachos et al., 2004]. and Eltgroth, 2003]. Moreover, we propose that the
The occurrence of multiple hyperthermals within the definition of the termination of the CIE be based on
late Paleocene–early Eocene suggests a repeated a combination of cyclostratigraphic proxies derived
trigger as their cause. Recently, X-ray fluorescence from XRF scanner and other methods rather than
(XRF) core scanning records from ODP Leg 208 sites carbon isotopes which gradually become uniform,
and from ODP Site 1051 spanning a
4.3 million thus making it difficult to define a globally recog-
year interval of the late Paleocene to early Eocene nizable termination point for the recovery.
were used to establish a longer time series and to
develop a robust and improved chronology of mag- 2. Material and Methods
netochrons [Westerhold et al., 2007] which is con-
sistent with records from the Bighorn Basin [Wing et [7] ODP Leg 208 recovered stratigraphically com-
al., 2000; Clyde et al., 2007]. plete and undisturbed PETM sections at four sites
[5] One of the obstacles to developing age models between 2.7 and 4.8 km water depth (Sites 1262,
for PETM sections is providing a exact definition 1263, 1266, 1267 [Zachos et al., 2005]). At each
of the termination of the CIE on a global scale, e.g., site, the PETM sequence is characterized by an
at Site 690, the location of the termination is abrupt transition from underlying carbonate rich
somewhat subjective because of the asymptotic ooze to a dark red ‘‘clay layer’’ which then grades
shape of the CIE. In addition, the low signal-to- upward into ooze. The most expanded PETM
noise ratio of the XRF Ca concentrations in this succession was recovered at the shallowest site,
high-carbonate interval has made cycle extraction Site 1263. All Leg 208 sites are condensed during
difficult and somewhat subjective. the PETM because of severe carbonate dissolution
[Zachos et al., 2005] with CaCO3 content <1 wt%
[6] Here we develop a revised chronology for the in the clay layers, compared to >80 and 90 wt% in
PETM using high-resolution geochemical data the underlying and overlying oozes. The thickness
from the ODP Leg 208 depth transect in combina- of the clay layers increases with water depth, from
tion with new Barium (Ba) XRF intensity data of 5 cm at the shallowest Site 1263 (2717 m; paleo-
the expanded section at ODP Site 690 from the depth
1500 m) to 35 cm in the deepest Site 1262
Weddell Sea, Southern Ocean (Figure 1). The (4755 m; paleodepth
3600 m) [Zachos et al.,
Barium (Ba) records, in combination with Fe, Ca, 2005]. We scanned longer core sections covering
and carbon isotope data from the Leg 208 sites and the late Paleocene-early Eocene interval from ODP
Site 690, show similar patterns that allow for Sites 1262 (27°11.150S, 1°34.620E) and 1263
refinement of correlation and age calibrations. (28°31.980S, 2°46.770E), as well as short (1 to

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2 m) intervals spanning the PETM at Sites 1265 consequence of changes in the supply of Ba to the
( 2 8 °5 0 . 1 0 0S , 2 °3 8 . 3 5 0E , 3 0 8 3 m ) , 1 2 6 6 ocean, either from rivers or methane hydrates.
(28°32.55 0S, 2°20.61 0E, 3798 m), and 1267 Moreover, some of the total Ba in sediments is
(28°5.880S, 1°42.66 0E, 4355 m) and acquired likely recycled during early diagenesis: adsorbed
XRF Fe, Ca, and Ba data. In addition, we collected on mineral surfaces, co-precipitated with Fe-Mn
new XRF Ba data from Core ODP 690B-19H, but oxyhydroxides or precipitated as barite [Paytan
also XRF Fe, Ba and Ca data for longer core and Kastner, 1996].
sections (160 to 176 meters below seafloor, mbsf)
covering the late Paleocene–early Eocene interval 3.1. Interpretation of New High-
(Leg 113, Maud Rise, 65°9.6290S; 1°12.2960E, Resolution XRF Scanning Ba Records
2914 m; Figure 1) [Barker et al., 1988]. Upper From the South Atlantic and Southern
Paleocene sediments at ODP Site 690 also show Oceans
oscillations of CaCO 3 and clay content as
expressed as white to pale brown banding, similar [10] The Leg 208 data along with the new Site 690
to the cyclicity in the Leg 208 sections. data both complement and improve upon the
original Site 690 records of Röhl et al. [2000]
[8] Relatively fast nondestructive core logging which was compromised by several factors. First,
methods enable continuous measurements at much the records were generated with a first generation
finer scales (down to millimeter scale) than are XRF Core Scanner [Röhl and Abrams, 2000],
practical for discrete sampling methods [Röhl and which had a restricted elemental range between K
Abrams, 2000]. The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Sr. As a consequence, clear identification of
core scanner acquires bulk-sediment chemical data cycles in the Ca and Fe records in the phase II of
from split core surfaces [Richter et al., 2006; the recovery interval was complicated due to the
Tjallingii et al., 2007]. Although elemental inten- very high carbonate content of the sediments and
sities are dominantly proportional to concentration, the low signal-to-noise ratios [Röhl et al., 2000;
they are also influenced by the energy level of the Kelly et al., 2005]. The addition of Ba yields a
X-ray source, the count time, and the physical record with a much higher signal-to-noise ratio
properties of the sediment [Röhl and Abrams, than Ca and Fe. Because the total Ba analyzed,
2000]. Ba data were collected every 1 cm down- potentially consists of both marine sourced Ba in
core over a 1 cm2 area with a generator setting of barite (productivity), as well as Ba derived from
50 kV and a sampling time of 30 seconds directly terrigenous sources, it is most useful in intervals in
at the split core surface of the archive half with which the carbonate content is either exceptionally
XRF Core Scanner II at the University of Bremen. high (very low Fe intensities) or low (extremely
The split core surface was covered with a 4 mm low Ca intensities). Second, only a single core was
thin SPEXCerti Prep Ultralene1 foil to avoid originally analyzed at Site 690 and thus it was not
contamination of the XRF measurement unit and possible to undertake any further detailed time
desiccation of the sediment. series analysis for deciphering longer-term trends
like modulation of precession cycles by orbital
3. Results and Discussion eccentricity. The long continuous cores from Leg
208, though of lower resolution, are continuous
[9] All records (Fe, Ca, Ba) show distinctive and over millions of years and thus provide the neces-
correlative elemental patterns in the clay layer of sary framework for more precise identification of
the basal CIE, despite the condensed nature of this cycle periodicity.
interval. The Fe cyclicity at Site 690 disappears in
the upper half of the event where sediments are [11] In general, it appears that sedimentary Ba
content is not significantly affected by changes in
characterized by uniformly high (>85%) CaCO3
contents [Röhl et al., 2000], whereas at Site 1263 redox conditions as minor changes in sulfate con-
the Fe records still show distinct variations centration are not an issue [Torres et al., 1996;
(Figure 2). The Ba intensity data at Site 690 almost Dickens et al., 2003]. Thus the XRF Ba data
perfectly correlate to the Ba concentration and provide a means of fine-tuning the high-resolution
accumulation record of Bains et al. [2000], who correlation between individual holes of each site
interpret their data as biogenic barium indicative of (auxiliary material1 Figure S2 and Tables S1 and
S2) which were originally defined using mainly
export paleoproductivity (Figure 2). Dickens et al.
[2003], on the other hand, noted that changes in the 1
Auxiliary materials are available in the HTML. doi:10.1029/
Ba and barite fluxes, if global, must be largely a 2007GC001784.

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Figure 2. Compilation of Fe (red, counts per second, cps; total counts, area), Ca (blue, counts per second, cps; total
counts, area), Ba XRF data (green, total counts), Ba accumulation rates [from Bains et al., 2000], and bulk carbon
data for Sites 690 [from Bains et al., 1999] and 1263 [from Zachos et al., 2005] across the PETM interval. Numbers
indicate precession cycle assignments and letters indicate horizons as identified by Zachos et al. [2005]. Please note
that precession cycles 6 to 8 can be identified in the Ba curves, whereas the Fe shows less clear and the Ca records
exhibits no clear cyclicity at all for this interval (recovery phase of the PETM).

magnetic susceptibility data [Zachos et al., 2004]. PETM. An investigation of both excess and bio-
The new site-to-site correlation is straightforward genic barium data obtained from discrete samples
as the Ba intensity curves show a high signal-to- from these sites supports this interpretation [Chun
noise ratio. It is particularly effective in the high et al., 2006]. Regardless, the pattern can be used to
carbonate recovery interval where the Ca and Fe assess relative completeness of individual sections.
cycles are somewhat less prominent. The high- For example, the lack of this spike at the base of
resolution Ba data provide a more refined inter- the clay layer at Site 1265 (auxiliary material
hole correlation than can be achieved with bulk Figure S1), confirms the presence of an unconfor-
carbon isotope data alone, especially in the asymp- mity that truncates the CIE at this site [Zachos et
totic part of the recovery interval (auxiliary mate- al., 2005].
rial Figure S2 and Table S2).
[12] Though Ba concentrations should primarily
3.2. On the Duration of the PETM
reflect the flux of Ba to the seafloor which tends [13] We used the high-resolution Ba based site to
to be dominated by barite, extreme changes in site correlations to assess the tempo of sedimentary
redox conditions may also affect concentrations. cycles through the PETM interval (Figure 2). This
The spike in Ba at the base of the CIE, for example, included an analysis of longer-term trends of cyclic
might reflect a geochemical front that lead to patterns, e.g., modulation of the precession cycles
diagenetic barite precipitation [e.g., Dickens et by eccentricity within Chron C24r (see Westerhold
al., 2003] rather than original biogenic Ba concen- et al. [2007] for more details) (Figure 3). Sites 690
tration as reducing conditions set in during the and 1051 were previously correlated using preces-

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Figure 3. Compilation of Fe (red, total counts), Ba intensity (green, total counts), and bulk carbon data (Vienna
Peedee belemnite, vPDB) for the late Paleocene – early Eocene interval of Sites 690 [from Cramer et al., 2003] and
1262 and 1263 [from Zachos et al., 2005]. 1, top Fasciculithus spp. [Westerhold et al., 2007]; 2, decrease
Fasciculithus spp. [Aubry et al., 1996].

sion cycles in Fe- and Ca-intensity data along with intervals yielding a total duration for the CIE of
high-resolution stable isotope records [Röhl et al., about 120 ka [Farley and Eltgroth, 2003]. The
2000]. For Site 690
11 precessional cycles were overestimation of cycles was clearly a consequence
identified between the base of the CIE and the of the low signal-to-noise ratios in the Ca records.
point where d 13C reaches post excursion values; 4 However, the He record also has a high degree of
cycles lie within the ‘‘core’’ of the d 13C excursion uncertainty over this interval, in part, because of
from the initial decrease to the level where values the relatively low number of samples [Farley and
begin to rebound, and another 7 cycles lie within Eltgroth, 2003], and also because of possible errors
the recovery phase. The duration of the entire CIE in sedimentation rates based on magnetochron
was thus estimated at
220 ka [Röhl et al., 2000]. durations [Westerhold et al., 2007]. As a conse-
quence, the He model likely underestimates the
[14] The large number of precession cycles in the duration of the carbonate rich layer.
upper recovery interval at Site 690 (and implied
low sedimentation rate), however, seemed incon- [15] The PETM section from Site 690 remains one
sistent with the shift to high carbonate content of the most expanded and intensively studied
which would indicate an acceleration of accumu- reference sections for the CIE. Yet, location of
lation rates. This suspicion was reinforced by the the termination of the recovery phase of the PETM
He isotope chronology developed for Site 690 is somewhat subjective because of the asymptotic
which suggested that the upper carbonate rich shape of the CIE. A conservative placement of the
recovery interval was relatively short compared top of the recovery at 167.10 mbsf [Röhl et al.,
to the underlying dissolution and lower recovery 2000] (Figure 2) lies at the top of ODP-113-690B-
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Table 1. Carbon Isotope and Ba Data Tie Points From we identify the same number of precession cycles
ODP Site 690 Used for Correlation to the Leg 208 P-E in Site 690 and Leg 208 sites with respect to the
Boundary Sections eccentricity related modulation pattern in the Fe
Tie Points 690, mbsf 1263, rmcd and Ba precession cycles. For example, precession
cycles 11 to 15 in both Site 1262 and 690 can be
Fe intensity tie point cycle 8 167.20 332.79 correlated to a short eccentricity cycle (‘‘3’’ [see
Fa 169.09 334.14
Ca 170.01 334.84
Westerhold et al., 2007, Figure 4]) above the
Onset CIE 170.64 335.27 PETM. The congruent modulation pattern of Leg
Fe intensity tie point cycle -1 170.99 335.54 208 and Site 690 precession related sedimentary
Fe intensity tie point cycle -2 171.40 336.04 cycles lead to consistent stratigraphic features
a
Letters after Bains et al. [1999]. which are global in nature. In particular precession
cycles 16 and 17 (Figure 3) located in a pro-
nounced eccentricity cycle minimum are prominent
19H [Kelly, 2002], which is overlain by a coring features which should also be present in other
gap (Figures 2 and 3) rendering this site less than sections around the globe. The consistency of our
ideal for defining the termination of the event. cyclostratigraphy is corroborated by biostratigraphic
Fortunately, a continuous section is available at features. For example, the position of the abrupt
Site 1263 where multiple holes were drilled across decrease in abundance of Fasciculithus spp. at Site
the boundary. Thus, using new Ba based cycle 690 [Aubry et al., 1996] (cycle 17 in Figure 3) and
constraints on Sites 690 and 1263, we reassessed at Site 1262 [Westerhold et al., 2007] (top of cycle
the duration of the entire PETM. The termination 19 in Figure 3), respectively, is roughly correlative
of the CIE at Site 1263 and the ‘‘reference section’’ between the sites.
at Site 690 were defined (Tables 1 and 2), by
identifying an inflection point in the bulk d 13C 3.3. Sediment Accumulation Rates
curve. Although the inflection is minor, it appears
to lie at a similar level from a cyclostratigraphic [17] The new estimate for the total duration of the
point of view [Zachos et al., 2005], in the middle PETM (170 ka) is shorter than that derived from
of a precession cycle. The Ba record from Site the original orbital model and longer than that
1263 and for Site 690 show 5 cycles within the derived from the He age model (about 90 –
clay layer of the CIE and 3.5 cycles in the recovery 140 ka) [Farley and Eltgroth, 2003]. How does this
interval phase II (Figure 2), which suggests that the affect accumulation rates (auxiliary material
7 cycles in the Ca record from the recovery interval Figure S3), particularly that of carbonate through
phase II at Site 690 as described by Röhl et al. the recovery interval when rates should have accel-
[2000] are probably half precession cycles. We erated [Dickens et al., 1997; Farley and Eltgroth,
assigned the precession cycle to the modern mean 2003; Kelly et al., 2005; Zachos et al., 2005]? To
precession period of 21 ka (average of the 19 and
23 ka precessional bands [Herbert et al., 1995; Table 2. Carbon Isotope Tie Points From ODP Site
Westerhold et al., 2007]), resulting in a new 690 and Assigned Ages Used for Correlation and Dating
astronomically calibrated estimate of
170 ka for the ODP Leg 208 PETM Sections
the duration of the PETM.
690 Age, 690 Age, 690 Age,
[16] Our estimated 170-ka duration for the PETM Tie 690, ±ka ±ka ±ka
can be further evaluated by considering it within Pointsa mbsf (Röhl00)b (F&E03)b (This Study)
the context of longer-term cyclostratigraphic trends H 166.13 230.00 183.00 196.87
of the upper Paleocene–lower Eocene sediments at G 167.12 218.00 118.60 153.50
Sites 690, 1262 and 1263. Detailed time series F 169.05 108.00 100.15 94.23
analysis of the records spanning magnetochrons E 169.39 88.00 93.60 81.17
C25n and C24r were undertaken by Westerhold et D 169.56 76.00 90.20 71.25
C 170.02 47.20 67.00 42.38
al. [2007] indicating that Chrons C24r and C25n B 170.33 28.40 37.48 21.90
contain 148 and 23 precession cycles, respectively. A 170.63 1.00 1.00 0.75
The eccentricity cycles (405, 100 ka) were also PEB 170.64 0.00 0.00 0.00
extracted by filtering. This new Leg 208 cyclo- A- 171.24 34.00 62.00 30.80
B- 172.81 125.00 102.53
stratigraphic framework provided the context for
a
assessing our proposed cyclostratigraphy for the b
Letters after Bains et al. [1999].
PETM clay layer. Starting at the PETM (Figure 3) Time (ka) at ODP Site 690 relative to the P-E boundary set to 55 Ma.
Ages are from Röhl et al. [2000] and Farley and Eltgroth [2003].

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Table 3. PETM Age Model for Sites 690 and 1262 – 1267a
Relative
Depth Depth Depth Depth Relative Age Relative
Depth mcd Depth mcd mcd rmcd Age (pre = 21.0 ka) Age
mbsf Site rmcd Site Site Site (pre = 21.0 ka) to ELMO (pre = 21.0 ka)
Cycle Site 690 1262 Site 1263 1265 1266 1267 to Cycle 1 (= 1000) to Onset CIE

20 160.42 135.88 326.56 308.24 - 227.12 399 2428 402

19 160.98 136.09 327.01 308.66 - 227.35 378 2449 381
18 161.57 136.31 327.53 309.19 - 227.62 357 2470 360
17 - 136.56 328.08 no data - 227.89 336 2491 339
16 162.96 136.81 328.52 309.91 - 228.14 315 2512 318
15 163.54 137.04 329.11 310.44 - 228.37 294 2533 297
14 164.32 137.27 329.58 310.81 302.05 228.70 273 2554 276
13 164.87 137.50 330.13 311.29 302.50 228.95 252 2575 255
12 165.29 137.75 330.78 311.76 302.95 229.25 231 2596 234
11 - 138.12 no data 312.31 303.52 229.57 210 2617 213
10 166.24 138.38 no data 313.01 304.10 229.90 189 2638 192
9 - 138.73 332.12 313.64 304.70 230.30 168 2659 171
8 167.20 139.03 332.79 314.21 305.12 230.64 147 2680 150
7 - 139.32 333.39 314.66 305.52 230.93 126 2701 129
6 - 139.53 333.88 315.23 305.93 231.22 105 2722 108
5 169.29 139.71b 334.29c 315.45b 306.21b 231.40b 84 2743 87
4 169.65 139.82b 334.57c 315.59b 306.40b 231.52b 63 2764 66
3 169.98 139.94b 334.82c 315.72b 306.56b 231.63b 42 2785 45
2 170.30 140.03b 335.04c 315.80b 306.67b 231.69b 21 2806 24
1 170.60 335.24c 315.88b 306.75b 231.76b 0 2827 3
Onset CIE 170.64 140.12 335.27 315.91 306.78 231.79 0
1 170.99 140.23 335.64 316.31 306.92 - 21 2848 18
2 171.40 140.32 - 316.74 307.20 232.05 42 2869 39
3 171.88 140.53 - end of splice - 232.27 63 2890 60
4 172.40 - - - 232.45 84 2911 81
5 172.80 140.85 336.86 308.10 232.63 105 2932 102
6 173.20 141.04 337.11 308.43 232.85 126 2953 123
7 173.49 141.27 337.42 308.80 233.10 147 2974 144
8 no data 141.52 337.82 309.13 233.35 168 2995 165
9 no data 141.74 338.20 309.55 233.65 189 3016 186
10 no data 141.95 338.47 309.87 233.88 210 3037 207
a
Notes: mcd, meters composite depth rmcd, revised meters composite depth. Relative ages are in ka.
b
Correlation of Site 1263 to Site 690.
c
Correlation to Site 1263 by Ba data.

estimate accumulation rates, we used the orbitally rates did increase during phase II of the recovery,
tuned, but floating age model from ODP Leg 208 but not tenfold as derived from He isotopes.
[Westerhold et al., 2007], which provides tuned ages
from the termination of Chron 25n to the onset of the [18] We also compared our new orbital chronology
CIE (1.113 Ma), and for the total duration of Chron with one of the more expanded marine sections, the
C24r (3.118 Ma). For the duration of the PETM/ Forada section in northern Italy which was depos-
CIE, we simply adopt our 170 ka estimate. Sediment ited in a hemipelagic, near-continental setting. In
accumulation rates are estimated for the uppermost this section, the Paleocene succession of limestone-
Paleocene and lower Eocene at Site 1263 and Site marl couplets is sharply interrupted by a
3.30-m-
690 cores using the depths, age model, and dura- thick unit of clays and marls representing the ‘‘clay
tions as described above (Table 3 and Figure 4). For layer’’ of the PETM [Giusberti et al., 2007]. The
both sites, the sedimentation rates are close to 2 cm/ CIE main excursion at Forada is about 3.4 m long
ka before the onset of the CIE, drop dramatically and therefore is almost 3 times more expanded than
(1.0 cm/ka) during the body (clay layer) of the the corresponding interval at ODP Site 690
CIE/PETM, and then increase in the recovery inter- (Figure 5). Several parameters (hematite, carbon-
val (3 cm/ka). Although these estimates possess ate, d 13C, radiolarians) oscillate in a cyclical fash-
minor uncertainties it is clear that sedimentation ion and are interpreted to represent precession

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Figure 4. Sedimentation rates (top) for Site 1263 and (bottom) for Site 690 plotted versus Fe (red, total counts),
Ba (green, total counts) and d 13C (black, Vienna Peedee belemnite, vPDB) data. For Site 690 the sedimentation rates
from Röhl et al. [2000] and Farley and Eltgroth [2003] are also shown for comparison.

cycles. The ‘‘core’’ of the excursion interval spans [20] With regard to the recovery interval, Giusberti
5 complete cycles (
105 ka). The 1.4-m thick et al. [2007] also noted that the seven precession
recovery interval in the Forada section contains cycles from the corresponding recovery interval
six distinct limestone-marl couplets, and is inter- (phases I and II) at Site 690 [Röhl et al., 2000]
preted to represent six precessional cycles with a exceeds that at Forada by one cycle. They corre-
duration of
126 ka [Giusberti et al., 2007], lated cycle by cycle using the numbering scheme
providing a total CIE duration of
231 ± 22 ka, for Site 690. Unfortunately, the sample resolution
5–10% longer than the estimate of Röhl et al. for the Forada record is not high enough, especially
[2000]. in the recovery interval, to precisely correlate
details in records for this part of the CIE. However,
[19] For the core of the PETM, only 4 cycles were with our new data we were able to revise the
identified at Site 690 and 1263, while 5 were correlation of Forada and the deep-sea sites. One
identified at Forada over the same time interval. possible additional correlation point is the LO/
This difference is just an artifact of the way in decrease of Fasciculithus spp. which is associated
which the cycles are defined, using Fe (or clay) for with precession cycle 16. The pronounced mini-
the ODP records (Fe data reflecting the terrigenous mum in the eccentricity modulation of precession
component) (Figures 2, 3, and 4) whereas for the cycles 16 and 17 aligns closely to the thick
Forada section the cycle count is based on the limestone bed (marker bed, cycle 16) at Forada
carbonate record (Figure 5). The hematite record at (Figure 5) consistent with the proposed detailed
Forada [Giusberti et al., 2007] also exhibits 4 correlation within and around the CIE between the
cycles that vary roughly inversely with carbonate sites. If we use this event as a tie point, then the
and would be the equivalent (as same number) of number of precessional cycles at Forada closely
the 4 Fe cycles identified at the ODP sites. matches that of the deep-sea sections.

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Figure 5. Latest high-resolution correlation of Site 690 Fe (total counts) and d 13C data (Vienna Peedee belemnite,
vPDB) to the Forada section (CaCO3 and d13C data) in northern Italy (modified from Giusberti et al. [2007]). Letters
indicate horizons as identified by Zachos et al. [2005] for Site 690. PFDI, Planktonic Foraminiferal Dissolution [from
Luciani et al., 2007]; BEE, Benthic Extinction Event.

[21] Given the massive global carbonate dissolu- shorter eccentricity cycles. Therefore we can ex-
tion at the onset of the PETM, could we have clude the possibility that the number of peaks or
underestimated the number of precession cycles in precession cycles has been underestimated or over-
the base of the clay layer in the pelagic site? This is estimated. At this point a few words about modula-
possible, though it seems unlikely given that the tion are warranted (auxiliary material Figure S4): the
extent of carbonate erosion probably differed be- long term record shows that the PETM is located
tween Maud Rise and Walvis Ridge, and that no between a 405-ka maximum and 405-ka minimum
pure clay layer was produced at Site 690 [Zeebe [Westerhold et al., 2007, Figure 6]. This constraint
and Zachos, 2007]. However, Site 690 does show demonstrates that the duration of the clay layer of
evidence for a significant decrease in carbonate the PETM cannot be longer than the equivalent of 7
content. As such, it might be possible that one precession cycles, which would already be the
precession cycle was removed in the middle of maximum estimate. If we assume that the clay layer
the onset of the PETM between cycle 1 and 1 is longer then the equivalent of 7 precession cycles
(Figure 2) and that the equivalent of 10 ka is than the 405-ka filter will move out of phase. The
missing. Our study and the cycle identification at Leg 208 cyclostratigraphy clearly demonstrates that
Site 690 and correlation to the Leg 208 sites result in the clay layer represents a minimum of 5 and a
an estimate of 5 precession cycles. The Forada maximum of 7 precession cycles (auxiliary material
section seems to exhibit 6 cycles for the same Figure S4). In the future, we recommend that
interval. However, we are confident that the new sediment models simulate the effect of cyclical
cycle-based age model is robust as the new Leg 208 sediment flux to determine if the expression of the
records show individual precession cycles of the precession cycle signal can be obscured by a com-
recovery interval that are perfectly modulated by bination of dissolution and bioturbation.

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3.4. Timing of the CIE Relative to
170 ka, roughly mid-way between previous esti-
Orbital Phases mates based on cycle stratigraphy and He isotopes.
One key implication is that the carbonate rich
[22] The final point concerns the relationship of the upper recovery layer represents a time of enhanced
PETM to orbital phases. The question of whether accumulation rates consistent with the notion of a
the CIE and other hyperthermals was triggered by supersaturated ocean [Farley and Eltgroth, 2003;
the 100 or 405 ka eccentricity cycles has been Kelly et al., 2005].
explored in several papers [Cramer et al., 2003;
Lourens et al., 2005] using a variety of pelagic Acknowledgments
sediment cycle records including those from Walvis
Ridge [Lourens et al., 2005]. A recent reevaluation [25] We thank two reviewers for their comments. This re-
of the longer cyclic records from Walvis Ridge search used samples and/or data provided by the Ocean Drilling
indicates that the CIE did not occur during a time Program (ODP). ODP is sponsored by the U.S. National
of maximal variability in insolation (405-ka Science Foundation (NSF) and participating countries under
maximum) as suggested previously, but with a management of Joint Oceanographic Institutions (JOI), Inc.
decreasing segment of a 405-ka eccentricity cycle Funding for this research was provided by the Deutsche
Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) to U. Röhl and T. Westerhold
[Westerhold et al., 2007, Figure 6b]. Nevertheless,
and by NSF grants EAR-0120727 and 0628486 and ACS-PRF
there seems to be a relation to a 100-ka eccentricity grant 42705-AC8 to T. J. Bralower and to J. C. Zachos. We
cycle maximum [Westerhold et al., 2007, Figure 6c]: thank Gar Esmay (ECR) for assistance with shipping Site 690
the amplitude modulation of the short eccentricity cores to Bremen, Alex Wülbers (BCR) for logistical assistance,
cycle clearly visible in Figure 3 (with maxima of the and Vera Lukies (Bremen) for support in the XRF Core
100-ka cycles at position of precession cycles 10, Scanners Lab. The complete data set presented in this paper
5, 2, 8, 13, 20) indicates that the onset of the CIE is available online in the WDC-MARE PANGAEA database at
occurred halfway (after precession cycle 2 and http://www.pangaea.de (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.667443).
1) within the short eccentricity cycle comprising
precession cycles 2 through 3, which represents a References
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