Photo: Reproduction/PPLWARE/SAPO.
717 million years ago, Earth plunged into an ice age known as “Snowball Earth,” where ice covered virtually everything for approximately 56 million years. For a long time, scientists wondered what triggered and maintained this state, and now new research appears to have found the answer.
Carbon dioxide plays a crucial role in regulating Earth’s temperature by trapping heat in the atmosphere. The ice age was probably triggered by a lack of this gas. 717 million years ago, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were controlled by geological processes, and researchers dedicated themselves to investigating volcanic emissions from that period.
A recent study published in the journal Geology by the University of Sydney revealed that the ice age was triggered by reduced carbon dioxide emissions resulting from decreased volcanic activity.
Currently, human activities are responsible for large emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, more than 700 million years ago, when we did not yet exist, CO₂ levels were determined by natural processes.
There are several theories about what may have triggered the ice age, including the weathering of igneous rocks that absorbed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, researchers suggest that this would not be enough to keep Earth in a frozen state for so long.
Investigating volcanoes, scientists analyzed an underwater chain called the mid-ocean ridge, which made it possible to calculate volcanic gas emissions during the ice age. The results indicated a significant reduction in volcanic activity, leading to a decrease in atmospheric carbon dioxide sufficient to initiate and maintain “Snowball Earth.”
Although this theory is supported by robust evidence, it is still just a theoretical model. Testing it is challenging due to the scarcity of data on oceanic crust at the time. However, this research represents an important step towards understanding the events that shaped Earth’s climate millions of years ago.
With information from Olhar Digital.
2024-02-11 15:09:33
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