Manmeet Singh
Pronouns: He/Him
Research Mentor(s): Sierra Petersen
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Earth and Environmental Sciences / LSA
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 4 – 2:40pm – 3:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Manmeet Singh, Sierra Petersen
Presenter: 89
Abstract
The Maastrichtian age was the final age of the Cretaceous period; ending with the meteor collision that caused the K-Pg extinction. During this period in time, there was a higher concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. The goal of this study is to estimate the ocean temperature near modern day Owl Creek, MS right before the mass extinction event. The study site is located in the Gulf Coastal Plains in Mississippi. Bivalve fossils were collected from the formation and were then examined for their preservation by imaging samples in a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to determine if the samples were contaminated by growth of secondary calcite material. Good samples were then powdered and submitted for clumped isotope analysis. Each sample powder was replicated at least three times. We found an average temperature of ~24° Celsius. The results of this project will allow us to help predict the future of the planet. The increasing concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere could become similar to the conditions at the end of the Cretaceous. With this new data, we can estimate how climate in the northern mid-latitudes may change with the projected increases in CO2 concentration.
Environmental Studies, Interdisciplinary, Natural/Life Sciences
