[Vision2020] Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum Carbon Release Rate Equal To Current Anthropogenic Rate?

[Ted Moffett]

I often double check anything sourced from Wikipedia, for factual and
logical accuracy.  This entry on the Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum is
well documented with references from major scientific journals:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleocene-Eocene_Thermal_Maximum

The following comment from the URL above is based on this article (and
possibly others in the long list of references at the bottom for
this Wikipedia entry), published in the journal "Nature," January 2008:

http://es.ucsc.edu/%7Ejzachos/pubs/Zachos_Dickens_Zeebe_08.pdf

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum lasted around 20,000 years, and was
superimposed on a 6 million year period of more gradual global
warming,[6]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleocene-Eocene_Thermal_Maximum#cite_note-Zachos2008-5>peaking
later in the Eocene at the "Eocene climatic optimum". Other "
hyperthermal<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hyperthermal&action=edit&redlink=1>"
events can be recognised during this period of cooling, including the Elmo
event<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elmo_event&action=edit&redlink=1>(ETM2).
During these events, of which the PETM was by far the most severe,
around 1,500 to 2,000 gigatons of carbon were released into the
ocean/atmosphere system over the course of 1,000 years. This rate of carbon
addition almost equals the rate at which carbon is being released into the
atmosphere today through anthropogenic activity.

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Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
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