Australian volcano caused the first extinction in history

(Curtin University researcher) has shown that the ancient volcanic eruptions in Australia 510 million years ago have caused significant impacts on the climate, causing mass extinctions. The first in the history of life is complicated.

Presented in the journal Geology, Associate Professor Fred Jourdan from the Applied Geology Department of Curtin University, along with colleagues from a number of international and Australian agencies, used radioactive dating techniques, to accurately assess the dates of the eruptions of the Kalkarindji volcanic region - where lava has covered an area of ​​more than 2 million square kilometers in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Dr. Jourdan and his team were able to demonstrate that the volcanic region found in the same time as the first extinction - the Cambrian period of 510 - 511 million years ago - the first extinction sweep wiped out multicellular life complex.

'Scientists have noted that this extinction has destroyed about 50% of the species that are related to climate change, which depletes oxygen in the oceans, but the exact mechanism has causing these changes, it is unclear to date , "said Dr. Jourdan.

Glass House in Australia national park

It is not only that we can prove that the Kalkarindji volcanic area erupted at the same time as the Cambrian extinction, but could also evaluate a release of SO ₂ (sulfur dioxide). from volcanic rocks of this area - shows that sulfides have been released into the atmosphere during eruptions.

As a modern comparison, when the small volcano Pinatubo erupted in 1991, the result of the emission of sulfur dioxide reduced global average temperature compared to the years following the eruption. If relatively small eruptions such as the Pinatubo volcanic eruption can affect the climate, imagine a large volcanic area of ​​the same size as a state of Western Australia. What is caused?

Later, the team compared the Kalkarindji volcanic region to other volcanic areas and demonstrated that the majority of similar processes with all types of extinctions are a rapid change of climate causing produced by volcanic eruptions that release sulfur dioxide gas, along with other greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide.

"We have calculated an almost perfect correlation between large volcanic eruptions, climate change and mass extinctions in the history of life over the past 550 million, extremely small proportions. if this correlation is just a coincidence, " said Dr Jourdan.

Dr. Jourdan said that the rapid change of climate caused by volcanic eruptions has hindered the species to adapt, thus eventually leading to their extinction. He also stressed the importance of this study so that we can better understand the current environment in which we live.

'In order to understand the effects of climate in the long term, and the biological effects of major atmospheric emissions sources due to the activities of modern society, we need to recognize the how the ecosystem, sea and climate have been affected in the past ' , he said.