[Volcano, Photo credit to Pixabay]

In the season of early March 2025, an international team of researchers collaborated to synchronize climate records from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, aiming to discover the sequence of events leading to the extinction of the dinosaurs. 

These geochemical records reveal with extraordinary precision at what time and how two major eruption phases of gigantic flood basalt volcanism affected the climate in the late Maastrichtian era, approximately 66-67 million years ago. 

This volcanic activity, commonly referred to as Deccan Traps in what is now modern-day India, is believed to have released enormous quantities of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, which would have had catastrophic effects on the climate.

Estimates suggest that the Deccan Traps may have released over 1 million cubic kilometers of lava, which spans over massive sections of India and surrounding regions, releasing enough CO₂ to substantially elevate global temperatures by multiple degrees Celsius. 

This, along with other environmental stressors, may possibly have contributed to the abrupt global warming and acidification of the oceans during the period, which set the stage for the mass extinction event that wiped out nearly 75% of Earth's species, including the non-avian dinosaurs.

Research indicates that Earth’s orbital rhythms might trigger or influence the timing of massive volcanic eruptions, potentially shaping climate and extinction events. 

Orbital cycles, which refer to the gradual shifts in Earth's orbit and axial tilt, have long been recognized as key drivers of long-term climate changes, shaping the trajectory of historical climate patterns.

Their potential role in triggering volcanic eruptions, particularly at such a critical time in Earth's history, adds a new layer of complexity to the interactions between Earth's climate and geologic processes, an area scientists have been investigating for years.

Dr. Thomas Westerhold from the Center for Marine Environmental Sciences has used geological data to piece together climate archives from both the South Atlantic and the Northwest Pacific. 

Over thousands of years, researchers discovered critical points in history when planetary climate shifts coincided with major volcanic activity. 

Beyond volcanic activity, other forces such as asteroid impacts, the rate of tectonic plate movements, and changes in ocean circulation have all been implicated in shaping Earth's climate. 

For example, the alignment of continents during the late Cretaceous could have affected ocean currents, potentially amplifying the warming effect of volcanic gases. 

The complex interplay between temperature, ice cover, and carbon cycles further complicates scientists’ understanding of the climate system.

Earth's climate systems are highly sensitive to feedback mechanisms, such as the ice-albedo feedback and carbon cycle feedbacks, which can intensify ecosystem warming.

Such mechanisms have the potential to considerably amplify initial perturbations in global temperature, with negative consequences.

When ice melts due to warming, it reduces Earth’s reflectivity, causing more solar energy to be absorbed and raising temperatures even more. 

Simultaneously, rising temperatures destabilize methane hydrates—crystalline ice-like structures trapping methane within ocean sediments and permafrost.

By studying past climate data, scientists can examine how changes in the Earth's orbit may be linked to major volcanic eruptions and shifts in climate.

This research highlights the importance of long-term data in understanding Earth's climate history, drawing on evidence from the past, and connecting it to humanity's future as a society working toward ecological sustainability.