Geological Sulfur Isotopes Indicate Elevated OCS in the Archean Atmosphere, Solving the Faint Young Sun Paradox

Yuichiro Ueno; Matthew Stanley Johnson; Sebastian Oscar Danielache; Carsten Eskebjerg; Antra Pandey; Naohiro Yoshida

Geological Sulfur Isotopes Indicate Elevated OCS in the Archean Atmosphere, Solving the Faint Young Sun Paradox

Yuichiro Ueno, Matthew Stanley Johnson, Sebastian Oscar Danielache, Carsten Eskebjerg, Antra Pandey, Naohiro Yoshida

Kemisk Institut

104 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

Distributions of sulfur isotopes in geological samples would provide
a record of atmospheric composition if the mechanism producing
the isotope effects could be described quantitatively. We
determined the UV absorption spectra of 32SO2, 33SO2, and 34SO2
and use them to interpret the geological record. The calculated
isotopic fractionation factors for SO2 photolysis give mass independent
distributions that are highly sensitive to the atmospheric
concentrations of O2, O3, CO2, H2O, CS2, NH3, N2O, H2S, OCS, and
SO2 itself. Various UV-shielding scenarios are considered and we
conclude that the negative 33S observed in the Archean sulfate
deposits can only be explained by OCS shielding. Of relevant
Archean gases, OCS has the unique ability to prevent SO2 photolysis
by sunlight at >202 nm. Scenarios run using a photochemical
box model show that ppm levels of OCS will accumulate in a
CO-rich, reducing Archean atmosphere. The radiative forcing, due
to this level of OCS, is able to resolve the faint young sun paradox.
Further, the decline of atmospheric OCS may have caused the late
Archean glaciation.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America
Vol/bind	106
Udgave nummer	35
Sider (fra-til)	14784 - 14789
Antal sider	6
ISSN	0027-8424
Status	Udgivet - 14 jul. 2009

Citationsformater

Geological Sulfur Isotopes Indicate Elevated OCS in the Archean Atmosphere, Solving the Faint Young Sun Paradox. / Ueno, Yuichiro; Johnson, Matthew Stanley; Danielache, Sebastian Oscar et al.

I: Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America, Bind 106, Nr. 35, 14.07.2009, s. 14784 - 14789.

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

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title = "Geological Sulfur Isotopes Indicate Elevated OCS in the Archean Atmosphere, Solving the Faint Young Sun Paradox",

abstract = "Distributions of sulfur isotopes in geological samples would providea record of atmospheric composition if the mechanism producingthe isotope effects could be described quantitatively. Wedetermined the UV absorption spectra of 32SO2, 33SO2, and 34SO2and use them to interpret the geological record. The calculatedisotopic fractionation factors for SO2 photolysis give mass independentdistributions that are highly sensitive to the atmosphericconcentrations of O2, O3, CO2, H2O, CS2, NH3, N2O, H2S, OCS, andSO2 itself. Various UV-shielding scenarios are considered and weconclude that the negative 33S observed in the Archean sulfatedeposits can only be explained by OCS shielding. Of relevantArchean gases, OCS has the unique ability to prevent SO2 photolysisby sunlight at >202 nm. Scenarios run using a photochemicalbox model show that ppm levels of OCS will accumulate in aCO-rich, reducing Archean atmosphere. The radiative forcing, dueto this level of OCS, is able to resolve the faint young sun paradox.Further, the decline of atmospheric OCS may have caused the lateArchean glaciation.",

author = "Yuichiro Ueno and Johnson, {Matthew Stanley} and Danielache, {Sebastian Oscar} and Carsten Eskebjerg and Antra Pandey and Naohiro Yoshida",

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T1 - Geological Sulfur Isotopes Indicate Elevated OCS in the Archean Atmosphere, Solving the Faint Young Sun Paradox

AU - Ueno, Yuichiro

AU - Johnson, Matthew Stanley

AU - Danielache, Sebastian Oscar

AU - Eskebjerg, Carsten

AU - Pandey, Antra

AU - Yoshida, Naohiro

N1 - Paper id:: www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.0903518106

PY - 2009/7/14

Y1 - 2009/7/14

N2 - Distributions of sulfur isotopes in geological samples would providea record of atmospheric composition if the mechanism producingthe isotope effects could be described quantitatively. Wedetermined the UV absorption spectra of 32SO2, 33SO2, and 34SO2and use them to interpret the geological record. The calculatedisotopic fractionation factors for SO2 photolysis give mass independentdistributions that are highly sensitive to the atmosphericconcentrations of O2, O3, CO2, H2O, CS2, NH3, N2O, H2S, OCS, andSO2 itself. Various UV-shielding scenarios are considered and weconclude that the negative 33S observed in the Archean sulfatedeposits can only be explained by OCS shielding. Of relevantArchean gases, OCS has the unique ability to prevent SO2 photolysisby sunlight at >202 nm. Scenarios run using a photochemicalbox model show that ppm levels of OCS will accumulate in aCO-rich, reducing Archean atmosphere. The radiative forcing, dueto this level of OCS, is able to resolve the faint young sun paradox.Further, the decline of atmospheric OCS may have caused the lateArchean glaciation.

AB - Distributions of sulfur isotopes in geological samples would providea record of atmospheric composition if the mechanism producingthe isotope effects could be described quantitatively. Wedetermined the UV absorption spectra of 32SO2, 33SO2, and 34SO2and use them to interpret the geological record. The calculatedisotopic fractionation factors for SO2 photolysis give mass independentdistributions that are highly sensitive to the atmosphericconcentrations of O2, O3, CO2, H2O, CS2, NH3, N2O, H2S, OCS, andSO2 itself. Various UV-shielding scenarios are considered and weconclude that the negative 33S observed in the Archean sulfatedeposits can only be explained by OCS shielding. Of relevantArchean gases, OCS has the unique ability to prevent SO2 photolysisby sunlight at >202 nm. Scenarios run using a photochemicalbox model show that ppm levels of OCS will accumulate in aCO-rich, reducing Archean atmosphere. The radiative forcing, dueto this level of OCS, is able to resolve the faint young sun paradox.Further, the decline of atmospheric OCS may have caused the lateArchean glaciation.

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0027-8424

VL - 106

SP - 14784

EP - 14789

JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

IS - 35

ER -