For years, the mechanism behind the rapid accumulation of approximately a million cubic kilometers of salt within the basin remained a mystery. Now, new research using chlorine isotope analysis from salt samples taken from the Mediterranean seabed has unraveled the two distinct phases of this intense evaporation event.
In the first phase, which lasted around 35,000 years, salt deposits were primarily confined to the eastern Mediterranean. This phase was triggered by the restriction of water flow from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, creating a brine-filled basin. The second phase was marked by a swift evaporative drawdown lasting less than 10,000 years. During this period, the sea level in the Mediterranean dropped dramatically - by approximately 1.7 to 2.1 kilometers in the eastern part and around 0.85 kilometers in the western region. Consequently, the Mediterranean lost up to 70% of its water volume.
This significant drop in sea level not only transformed the region but also impacted the surrounding terrestrial environment. The sudden decrease in weight on the Earth's crust is believed to have triggered local volcanic eruptions, while the massive drop in water volume likely influenced global climate patterns due to the creation of a substantial depression.
These findings, published on November 18 in 'Nature Communications', offer deeper insight into historical geological processes, the evolution of the Mediterranean landscape, and the broader implications for global climate systems.
Research Report:Chlorine isotopes constrain a major drawdown of the Mediterranean Sea during the Messinian Salinity Crisis
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