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. 2013:4:2452.
doi: 10.1038/ncomms3452.

Time-calibrated Milankovitch cycles for the late Permian

Huaichun Wu  1 , Shihong Zhang, Linda A Hinnov, Ganqing Jiang, Qinglai Feng, Haiyan Li, Tianshui Yang
Affiliations
Free PMC article

Time-calibrated Milankovitch cycles for the late Permian

Huaichun Wu et al. Nat Commun. 2013.
Free PMC article

Abstract

An important innovation in the geosciences is the astronomical time scale. The astronomical time scale is based on the Milankovitch-forced stratigraphy that has been calibrated to astronomical models of paleoclimate forcing; it is defined for much of Cenozoic-Mesozoic. For the Palaeozoic era, however, astronomical forcing has not been widely explored because of lack of high-precision geochronology or astronomical modelling. Here we report Milankovitch cycles from late Permian (Lopingian) strata at Meishan and Shangsi, South China, time calibrated by recent high-precision U-Pb dating. The evidence extends empirical knowledge of Earth's astronomical parameters before 250 million years ago. Observed obliquity and precession terms support a 22-h length-of-day. The reconstructed astronomical time scale indicates a 7.793-million year duration for the Lopingian epoch, when strong 405-kyr cycles constrain astronomical modelling. This is the first significant advance in defining the Palaeozoic astronomical time scale, anchored to absolute time, bridging the Palaeozoic-Mesozoic transition.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Cyclostratigraphy of the Meishan section.
(a) MS series of the Meishan section. The interpretation of 405-kyr-long eccentricity (E) and ~100-kyr-short eccentricity (e) cycles is based on the spectral analysis (Figure 3a). (b) U–Pb ages (green lines) calibrated MS time series with 405-kyr (red) and 100-kyr (blue) Gauss filter outputs, with passbands of 0.002469±0.00025 and 0.01±0.002 cycles per kyr respectively. The U–Pb ages are from ref. . The roman numerals i, ii, iii, iv, v and vi represent the ages of 252.10±0.06, 252.28±0.08, 252.50±0.11, 252.85±0.11, 253.45±0.08 and 253.49±0.07 Ma at different depths. The numbers vii, viii, ix, x and xi represent the U–Pb age-calibrated durations of 0.18±0.1, 0.22±0.14, 0.35±0.16, 0.60±0.14 and 0.04±0.11 Myr, respectively. Uncertainties are calculated by error propagation. (c) 405-kyr-tuned MS time series with 405-kyr (red) and 100-kyr (blue) Gauss filter outputs with passbands of 0.002469±0.00025 and 0.01±0.0035 cycles per kyr, respectively. The paired red and black numbers are 405-kyr-tuned and U–Pb ages for comparison, labelled in ‘Ma’. (d) Adjusted 405-kyr-tuned MS time series based on the synchrony of end-Permian mass extinction in South China and the La2010d solution from Shangsi section (see main text for explanation). The paired red and black numbers are adjusted 405-kyr-tuned ages and corresponding U–Pb ages in Ma. Fm., formation; IN, Induan; LT, Longtan Formation; WP, Wuchiapingian; YK, Yinkeng Formation.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Cyclostratigraphy of the Shangsi section.
(a) ARM series of the Shangsi section. The interpreted 405-kyr cycles (red) were extracted using Gauss filters with passbands of 0.22±0.08 cycles per m (1–14 m), 0.6±0.3 cycles per m (14–26 m), 0.4±0.12 cycles per m (26–33 m) and 0.06±0.02 cycles per m (33–93.6 m). The roman numbers i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii and ix represent the U–Pb ages of 252.16±0.09, 252.28±0.13, 252.37±0.08, 252.68±0.12, 253.10±0.12, 253.60±0.08, 254.31±0.07, 257.79±0.14 and 259.5±0.9 Ma at different depths, respectively. The former eight U–Pb ages are from ref. and the last (259.5±0.9 Ma) is from ref. . (b) U–Pb ages (green lines) calibrated ARM time series with 405-kyr signal (red) extracted using a Gauss filter with a passband of 0.002469±0.00015 cycles per kyr. (c) 405-kyr-tuned ARM time series with 405-kyr filter output (red) extracted using a Gauss filter with a passband of 0.002469±0.00075 cycles per kyr. The paired red and black numbers are 405-kyr-tuned ages and U–Pb ages for comparison, labelled in Ma. Fm., formation; FXG=Feixianguan Formation; IN, Induan.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Spectral analysis.
(a) 2π power spectra of the Meishan MS series, from the top: stratigraphic series, La2004 ETP time series from 240–249 Ma, U–Pb age-calibrated time, 405-kyr-tuned time. (b) 3π power spectra of the Shangsi ARM series, from the top: stratigraphic domain, La2004 ETP time series from 240–249 Ma, U–Pb age-calibrated time, 405-kyr-tuned time. The blue, green and red curves indicate 99, 95 and 90% confidence limits. The purple curve ‘M’ indicates the smoothed, fitted red-noise spectrum. The letters E, e, O and P represent the 405-kyr eccentricity, short (~100-kyr) eccentricity, obliquity and precession orbital parameters. Significant peaks are labelled in centimeters for the stratigraphic spectra (which refer to the upper x axis) and in kilo years for the others (which refer to the lower x axis).
Figure 4
Figure 4. Long period AM analysis of Shangsi section ARM series.
(a) 405-kyr eccentricity (black) and its AM (purple); 34-kyr obliquity (black) and its AM (blue). The 405- and 34-kyr cycles were extracted using Taner filter with passbands of 0.002469±0.0014 and 0.0291±0.0025 cycles per kyr, respectively. (b) 2π multitapered amplitude spectra of the AM series of interpreted 405-kyr eccentricity (upper, purple) and 34-kyr obliquity signals (lower, blue). Period peaks are labelled in Myr.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Photo of the Upper Changhsingian Dalong Formation at Shangsi section.
Five thin precession-scale beds are bundled into 100-kyr eccentricity cycles (e) and four ~100-kyr cycles are bundled into 405-kyr eccentricity cycles (E). The ARM cycle interpretation is provided in Fig. 2, Supplementary Figs S4 and S5. Eccentricity maxima are recorded by pronounced, thin precession beds, whereas the eccentricity minima correlate to thick limestone beds. Circled numbers indicate bed numbers; white lines mark bed boundaries.
Figure 6
Figure 6. Comparison of late Permian 405-kyr cycles.
The Meishan MS and Shangsi ARM series subjected to Taner filtering with a very narrow passband of 1/405.091±0.00001 cycles per kyr to isolate the 405-kyr cycles. The bottom four curves are 405-kyr eccentricity cycles extrapolated from 250 to 260 Ma, from La2010a–d eccentricity series (ref. 11) filtered by a very narrow passband of 1/405.091 kyr±0.000001 cycles per kyr. The dotted vertical lines mark the 405-kyr maxima of the Shangsi 405-kyr cycles to highlight the differences among the ARM, MS and La2010a–d 405-kyr eccentricity cycles.
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