Ancient Volcanic Eruptions Linked to Earth's First Oxygen Surges
New research reveals how massive volcanic activity 2.5 billion years ago created conditions for temporary oxygen spikes, setting the stage for Earth's oxygen-rich atmosphere.
- Scientists have identified massive volcanic eruptions as a key driver of temporary oxygen increases, or 'whiffs,' before the Great Oxidation Event (GOE).
- Volcanic activity released carbon dioxide, warming the planet and increasing nutrient runoff into oceans, which fueled photosynthetic microbes producing oxygen.
- The study suggests Earth's growing continents amplified these oxygen spikes by increasing nutrient availability in the oceans.
- These transient oxygenation events likely helped early microorganisms evolve oxygen-processing abilities, crucial for later complex life development.
- The findings provide a mechanistic explanation for geochemical evidence of oxygen 'whiffs' in ancient rock formations, highlighting the interplay between Earth's geology and biology.
Study Finds 
ScienceDaily 