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ABSTRACT One of the great problems in the history of Earth’s climate is how to reconcile evidence for liquid water and habitable climates on early Earth with the Faint Young Sun predicted
from stellar evolution models. Possible solutions include a wide range of atmospheric and oceanic chemistries, with large uncertainties in boundary conditions for the evolution and
diversification of life and the role of the global carbon cycle in maintaining habitable climates. Increased atmospheric CO2 is a common component of many solutions, but its connection to
the carbon chemistry of the ocean remains unknown. Here we present calcium isotope data spanning the period from 2.7 to 1.9 billion years ago from evaporitic sedimentary carbonates that can
test this relationship. These data, from the Tumbiana Formation, the Campbellrand Platform and the Pethei Group, exhibit limited variability. Such limited variability occurs in marine
environments with a high ratio of calcium to carbonate alkalinity. We are therefore able to rule out soda ocean conditions during this period of Earth history. We further interpret this and
existing data to provide empirical constraints for carbonate chemistry of the ancient oceans and for the role of CO2 in compensating for the Faint Young Sun. Access through your institution
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OTHERS COUPLED DECLINE IN OCEAN PH AND CARBONATE SATURATION DURING THE PALAEOCENE–EOCENE THERMAL MAXIMUM Article 12 November 2024 LAST GLACIAL ATMOSPHERIC CO2 DECLINE DUE TO WIDESPREAD
PACIFIC DEEP-WATER EXPANSION Article 20 July 2020 OCEAN TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PHANEROZOIC REASSESSED Article Open access 27 May 2022 REFERENCES * Sagan, C. & Mullen, G. Earth and
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thesis, Univ. Pennsylvania State (2000). Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was supported by a grant from the Simons Foundation (SCOL 339006 to C.L.B.). S. A. Maclennan and A.
M. Campion aided J.J.K. in collecting Tumbiana samples. D. P. Santiago Ramos and E. A. Lundstrom contributed to laboratory analyses. AUTHOR INFORMATION Author notes * G. Paris Present
address: Present address: CRPG, UMR 7358, CNRS—Université de Lorraine, 54500 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France., AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Geosciences, Princeton University,
Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA C. L. Blättler, J. J. Kasbohm & J. A. Higgins * Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA L. R.
Kump * Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA W. W. Fischer & G. Paris Authors * C. L. Blättler View author
publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * L. R. Kump View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * W. W. Fischer
View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * G. Paris View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * J. J.
Kasbohm View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * J. A. Higgins View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google
Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS C.L.B. conceived of the study; L.R.K., W.W.F., G.P. and J.J.K. conducted field work and collected samples; C.L.B. and J.A.H. obtained and analysed the data.
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to C. L. Blättler. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no competing financial interests. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTARY
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THIS ARTICLE Blättler, C., Kump, L., Fischer, W. _et al._ Constraints on ocean carbonate chemistry and _p_CO2 in the Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic. _Nature Geosci_ 10, 41–45 (2017).
https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2844 Download citation * Received: 07 June 2016 * Accepted: 25 October 2016 * Published: 28 November 2016 * Issue Date: January 2017 * DOI:
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