Nature Communications (Jun 2018)

Globally asynchronous sulphur isotope signals require re-definition of the Great Oxidation Event

  • Pascal Philippot,
  • Janaína N. Ávila,
  • Bryan A. Killingsworth,
  • Svetlana Tessalina,
  • Franck Baton,
  • Tom Caquineau,
  • Elodie Muller,
  • Ernesto Pecoits,
  • Pierre Cartigny,
  • Stefan V. Lalonde,
  • Trevor R. Ireland,
  • Christophe Thomazo,
  • Martin J. van Kranendonk,
  • Vincent Busigny

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-04621-x
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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The Great Oxidation Event (GOE) is considered to have occurred at 2.33–2.32 Ga based on the last occurrence of MIF-S in South Africa. Here, based on sulphur isotope analysis of samples from Western Australia, the authors show preservation of MIF-S beyond 2.31 Ga and call for a re-evaluation of GOE timing.