Large igneous province (LIP) eruptions have been linked in some cases to major perturbations of Earth’s carbon cycle. However, few observations directly constrain the isotopic composition of carbon released by LIP magmas because carbon isotopes fractionate during degassing, which hampers understanding of the relative roles of mantle versus crustal carbon reservoirs. Carbonatite magmatism associated with LIPs provides a unique window into the isotopic systematics of LIP carbon because the majority of carbon in carbonatites crystalizes rather than degassing. Here, we present new δ13C data for the Guli carbonatites in the Siberian Traps. In addition, we compile ~260 published measurements of δ13C from carbonatites related to the Deccan Traps and the Paraná-Etendeka. We find no evidence for magmas with carbon isotope ratios lighter than depleted mantle values of δ13C =−6±2‰ from any of these LIPs, though some carbonatites range to heavier δ13C ratios. We attribute relatively heavy δ13C ratios in some carbonatites to either slightly 13C-enriched domains in the mantle lithosphere or carbon isotope fractionation in deep, carbon-saturated LIP magma reservoirs. The absence of a light δ13C component in LIP magmas supports the view that lithospheric carbon reservoirs must be tapped during cases of LIP magmatism linked with negative carbon isotope excursions and mass extinctions.
","abstract_html":"<p>Large igneous province (LIP) eruptions have been linked in some cases to major perturbations of Earth’s carbon cycle. However, few observations directly constrain the isotopic composition of carbon released by LIP magmas because carbon isotopes fractionate during degassing, which hampers understanding of the relative roles of mantle versus crustal carbon reservoirs. Carbonatite magmatism associated with LIPs provides a unique window into the isotopic systematics of LIP carbon because the majority of carbon in carbonatites crystalizes rather than degassing. Here, we present new δ<sup>13</sup>C data for the Guli carbonatites in the Siberian Traps. In addition, we compile ~260 published measurements of δ<sup>13</sup>C from carbonatites related to the Deccan Traps and the Paraná-Etendeka. We find no evidence for magmas with carbon isotope ratios lighter than depleted mantle values of δ<sup>13</sup>C =−6±2‰ from any of these LIPs, though some carbonatites range to heavier δ<sup>13</sup>C ratios. We attribute relatively heavy δ<sup>13</sup>C ratios in some carbonatites to either slightly <sup>13</sup>C-enriched domains in the mantle lithosphere or carbon isotope fractionation in deep, carbon-saturated LIP magma reservoirs. The absence of a light δ<sup>13</sup>C component in LIP magmas supports the view that lithospheric carbon reservoirs must be tapped during cases of LIP magmatism linked with negative carbon isotope excursions and mass extinctions.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Gales, Ellen"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (M.S.)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Earth and Atmospheric Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Benjamin A. Black","Steven B. Kidder","Zhengrong Wang"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2019-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:57:28Z","subjects":["carbonatite","LIP","δ13C","Geochemistry","Volcanology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/796","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Benjamin A. Black","Steven B. Kidder","Zhengrong Wang"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Gales, Ellen"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2019-12-15T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (M.S.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["carbonatite","LIP","δ13C","Geochemistry","Volcanology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/796"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Large igneous province (LIP) eruptions have been linked in some cases to major perturbations of Earth’s carbon cycle. However, few observations directly constrain the isotopic composition of carbon released by LIP magmas because carbon isotopes fractionate during degassing, which hampers understanding of the relative roles of mantle versus crustal carbon reservoirs. Carbonatite magmatism associated with LIPs provides a unique window into the isotopic systematics of LIP carbon because the majority of carbon in carbonatites crystalizes rather than degassing. Here, we present new δ13C data for the Guli carbonatites in the Siberian Traps. In addition, we compile ~260 published measurements of δ13C from carbonatites related to the Deccan Traps and the Paraná-Etendeka. We find no evidence for magmas with carbon isotope ratios lighter than depleted mantle values of δ13C =−6±2‰ from any of these LIPs, though some carbonatites range to heavier δ13C ratios. We attribute relatively heavy δ13C ratios in some carbonatites to either slightly 13C-enriched domains in the mantle lithosphere or carbon isotope fractionation in deep, carbon-saturated LIP magma reservoirs. The absence of a light δ13C component in LIP magmas supports the view that lithospheric carbon reservoirs must be tapped during cases of LIP magmatism linked with negative carbon isotope excursions and mass extinctions.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Carbonatites as a record of the carbon isotope composition of large igneous province outgassing"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Benjamin A. Black","Steven B. Kidder","Zhengrong Wang"],"dc:creator":["Gales, Ellen"],"dc:date.available":["2019-12-15T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Large igneous province (LIP) eruptions have been linked in some cases to major perturbations of Earth’s carbon cycle. However, few observations directly constrain the isotopic composition of carbon released by LIP magmas because carbon isotopes fractionate during degassing, which hampers understanding of the relative roles of mantle versus crustal carbon reservoirs. Carbonatite magmatism associated with LIPs provides a unique window into the isotopic systematics of LIP carbon because the majority of carbon in carbonatites crystalizes rather than degassing. Here, we present new δ13C data for the Guli carbonatites in the Siberian Traps. In addition, we compile ~260 published measurements of δ13C from carbonatites related to the Deccan Traps and the Paraná-Etendeka. We find no evidence for magmas with carbon isotope ratios lighter than depleted mantle values of δ13C =−6±2‰ from any of these LIPs, though some carbonatites range to heavier δ13C ratios. We attribute relatively heavy δ13C ratios in some carbonatites to either slightly 13C-enriched domains in the mantle lithosphere or carbon isotope fractionation in deep, carbon-saturated LIP magma reservoirs. The absence of a light δ13C component in LIP magmas supports the view that lithospheric carbon reservoirs must be tapped during cases of LIP magmatism linked with negative carbon isotope excursions and mass extinctions.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/796"],"dc:subject":["carbonatite","LIP","δ13C","Geochemistry","Volcanology"],"dc:title":["Carbonatites as a record of the carbon isotope composition of large igneous province outgassing"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (M.S.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:57:28Z"}