Global glaciations and atmospheric change at ca. 2.3 Ga

This paper compiles lithostratigraphic and geochronological data obtained for the Palaeoproterozoic glacial diamictite-bearing successions, and thereby provides insights into understanding the geological processes causing the Huronian Glaciation Event. The majority of evidence for appearances of this glaciation event can be related to the Kenorland supercontinent breakup, allied to significant atmospheric change, as well as blooms of biogeochemical oxygenic photosynthesis. In this paper, the Huronian Glaciation Event is constrained to have occurred synchronously during 2.29–2.25 Ga, accompanied by dramatic environmental changes characteristic of the Great Oxidation Event which includes the pre-2.3 Ga hydrosphere oxidation and the post-2.3 Ga atmosphere oxygenation.

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► Huronian Glaciation Event (HGE) globally occurred during 2.29–2.25 Ga.
► HGE followed Siderian BIF-deposition that consumed O2 generated by photosynthesis.
► HGE, followed by red beds and positive δ13Ccarb anomalies, resulted from GOE.
► GOE includes 2.5–2.3 Ga oceanic oxidation and 2.3–2.2 Ga atmospheric oxygenation.
► The nature of the Earth's superficial system dramatically changed at ca. 2.3 Ga.