The Triassic extinction, one of the largest mass extinctions of animal life on record, was proceeded by the dinosaur era. Following the discovery of volcanic rocks of the same age as the extinction, volcanic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions had previously been suggested as an important contributor to this extinction event. These volcanic rocks covered a huge area, across four continents, representing the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP). Any sediments left during a large volcanic event would therefore be expected to have unusually high mercury content. Elevated mercury emissions also coincided with previously established increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations, indicating CO2 release from volcanic degassing.

Source: Mint June 20, 2017 17:03 UTC