The vertical temperature gradient and carbon isotope signature of the deep sea during the ‘X-event’ and onset of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum – preliminary results from ODP site 1262

The early Eocene (59-52 Ma) is a period in which Earth’s climate underwent gradual warming that was interrupted by several transient extreme warming events termed ‘hyperthermals’. The major hyperthermals ‐ the PETM (~55.5 Ma) and the ETM2 (~53.6 Ma) – are accompanied By 4-8ºC warming, massive release of 13C depleted carbon into the ocean...