1. Astronomical Forcing of Sea‐Level Changes and the History of the Solar System 1,640 Million Years Ago.
- Author
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Shi, Juye, Fan, Tailiang, Jin, Zhijun, Liu, Quanyou, Zhang, Tan, Jiang, Ming, and Wang, Bo
- Subjects
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MILANKOVITCH cycles , *SOLAR system , *CHAOS theory , *PRECAMBRIAN , *SEA level , *MAGNETIC susceptibility - Abstract
The Paleoproterozoic was an important stage in the evolution of life and the environment during Earth's history. Understanding astronomical rhythms and solar system behavior in the Paleoproterozoic is often challenging. In this study, ∼190 m high‐resolution magnetic susceptibility (MS) and ∼30 m high‐resolution Ba/Al data are used to conduct cyclostratigraphic analyses of the Chuanlinggou Formation in the Yanliao Rift, North China Craton. Spectral analysis indicates significant peaks at wavelengths of 12.1–7.7, 2.8–1.6, 0.58–0.33, and 0.29–0.22 m, which matches well with the astronomical cycles predicted by Waltham for ∼1,640 Ma. A 9.9‐Myr astronomical time scale is constructed by tuning the MS series to the 405‐kyr‐long eccentricity cycle. The geological records show ∼1.56‐Myr very long eccentricity period and ∼1.0‐Myr very long obliquity period (close to 3(s4 − s3) − 2(g4 − g3) = 0) in the Paleoproterozoic. The sea‐level change curve predicted by dynamic noise models reveals a significant ∼1.0‐Myr period, indicating that sea level fluctuation may have been driven by the very long obliquity period. Bayesian inversion is used to further estimate the evolution of the ancient Earth‐Moon orbital parameters, constraining a precession rate of 87.14 ± 0.25 arcsec/year and an Earth‐Moon distance of 341,530 ± 390 km for the Paleoproterozoic Changcheng System. These results indicate that astronomical orbital forcing may have played an important role in climate and sea‐level changes in the Precambrian, increasing the understanding of the fundamentals of global sea level fluctuations, orbitally driven mechanisms and the chaotic behavior of the Precambrian solar system. Plain Language Summary: Orbital parameters and long‐term behavior have changed during geological history. For the first time, we found new resonance states between Mars and Earth (i.e., a very long eccentricity period of ∼1.56 Myr and a very long obliquity period of ∼1.0 Myr) from the geological records of the Paleoproterozoic Changcheng System in the Yanliao Rift of the North China Craton. The reconstructed sea‐level change curve shows a significant ∼1.0‐Myr period, indicating that sea level fluctuations may have been driven by the very long obliquity period in the Precambrian. The orbital parameters in the Paleoproterozoic are recovered using Ba/Al ratios, and the calculated precession constant is 87.14 ± 0.25 arcsec/year. The Earth‐Moon distance was 341,530 ± 390 km, and the length of day (LOD) was 18.06 ± 0.05 hr, which indicates that lunar recession may have been slower in deep time. These results increase the understanding of astronomical rhythms and the chaotic behavior of the solar system in the Precambrian. Key Points: A new Earth‐Mars resonance state (3(s4 − s3) − 2(g4 − g3) = 0) is revealed from the Precambrian geological recordsThe ∼1.0‐Myr very long obliquity period significantly affected sea level fluctuations under the Mesoproterozoic greenhouse climate [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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