First-order coupling of paleogeography and CO2, with global surface temperature and its latitudinal contrast

Abstract

Research Article| December 01, 1991 First-order coupling of paleogeography and CO2, with global surface temperature and its latitudinal contrast Thomas R. Worsley; Thomas R. Worsley 1Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David L. Kidder David L. Kidder 1Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Thomas R. Worsley 1Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 David L. Kidder 1Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1991) 19 (12): 1161–1164. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<1161:FOCOPA>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Thomas R. Worsley, David L. Kidder; First-order coupling of paleogeography and CO2, with global surface temperature and its latitudinal contrast. Geology 1991;; 19 (12): 1161–1164. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<1161:FOCOPA>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract We propose that for any geography, halving the amount of emergent land area will elevate CO2 levels enough to raise land surface temperature 10 °C and vice versa. We have evaluated this relation by specifying latitude and level of emergence for six end-member continental configurations. We show that a world with polar continents (capworld) will be warmest, whereas a world dominated by tropical ones (ringworld) will be coldest—a result superficially counterintuitive to established climate dogma. A meridional configuration (sliceworld) will have intermediate temperatures. The model is consistent with modern, Pleistocene maximum-emergence and mid-Cretaceous minimum-emergence climates. It also predicts a cool global climate for the half-emergent mid- Cambrian ringworld and a very warm, equable climate for the half-emergent mid- Silurian capworld. Furthermore, the relations among latitude, land area, temperature, and CO2 levels predict that a Late Proterozoic, equator-straddling landmass could have been glaciated. A strong point of the model is that it yields realistic results with no knowledge of paleolongitude, sea-floor- generation rates, or orogeny (or, by implication, degassing and erosion rates), none of which is obtainable for pre-Mesozoic paleogeographies. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.