Smoking gun of the Permian extinction discovered?

marco_polo

Scientist have discovered the remains of very large coal-ash layers in Canada's High Arctic which provide very strong evidence in support of the theory that the end Permian Siberian trap erruptions caused massive coal combustion, resulting in huge volumes of greenhouse gases being emmited. All ultimately contributing greatly to what became the largest mass extinction of all time.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110123131014.htm

Researchers at the University of Calgary believe they have discovered evidence to support massive volcanic eruptions burnt significant volumes of coal, producing ash clouds that had broad impact on global oceans.

"This could literally be the smoking gun that explains the latest Permian extinction," says Dr. Steve Grasby, adjunct professor in the University of Calgary's Department of Geoscience and research scientist at Natural Resources Canada.

Grasby and colleagues discovered layers of coal ash in rocks from the extinction boundary in Canada's High Arctic that give the first direct proof to support this and have published their findings in Nature Geoscience.

Unlike end of dinosaurs, 65 million years ago, where there is widespread belief that the impact of a meteorite was at least the partial cause, it is unclear what caused the late Permian extinction. Previous researchers have suggested massive volcanic eruptions through coal beds in Siberia would generate significant greenhouse gases causing run away global warming.

"Our research is the first to show direct evidence that massive volcanic eruptions -- the largest the world has ever witnessed -caused massive coal combustion thus supporting models for significant generation of greenhouse gases at this time," says Grasby.

And in a very pretty location too.

Coriolanus

Is coal combustion a common factor in volcanic eruptions? It's the first I've ever heard of the two being connected.

marco_polo

Nevore wrote: »

Is coal combustion a common factor in volcanic eruptions? It's the first I've ever heard of the two being connected.

A combination an active volcanos directly underneath a coal seam is a fairly rare occurance. If lava comes into contact a coal seam it would will ignite it for sure though.

Here is a modern small scale version in West Virginia caused by underground lava tubes http://www.wvcoalhistory.com/id24.html


That reminds me ever heard of Centralia, Pennsylvania where a man made(its believed) subteranean coal fire has been burning since 1962 causing the town to be all but abandoned.

Some