Implication for atmospheric oxygen levels during glacial and interglacial periods in the Paleoproterozoic by weathering model

Abstract

A quantitative pattern of atmospheric oxygen evolution must be estimated to understand the Earth surface of the Paleoproterozoic. Although it is proposed that atmospheric oxygen increased from 10^-6 to 10^-3 atm between 2.5 and 2.0 Ga, the variation of atmospheric oxygen during glacial and interglacial periods are not known. It is concluded that a weathering model developed by our group can estimate the oxygen levels in the interglacial periods but not those in the glacial periods.