Abstract
Considerable isotopic evidence indicates that oceanic bottom water was much warmer in the geological past. A simple convection model driven by multiple turbulent buoyant plumes and observations of present deep water formation have led to the development of a theory for the formation of warm saline bottom water. It is suggested that changes in the size and configuration of marginal seas in net evaporation zones due to lithospheric plate motions and eustatic sea level change caused these seas to become sources of warm saline bottom water. Evidence from the palaeotemperature record and palaeogeography during the late Cretaceous is used to reinforce the hypothesis. Climatic and chemical consequences of the formation of warm saline bottom water are discussed.
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Brass, G., Southam, J. & Peterson, W. Warm saline bottom water in the ancient ocean. Nature 296, 620–623 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/296620a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/296620a0
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