Messinian Event

Question 1

What is the pattern for global sea level fluctuations?

Answer 1

cyclic/sinusoidal (related to plate tectonics)

Question 2

What was Amadeaus Grabau’s work on?

Answer 2

crustal features of the Earth were caused by the rhythmic rise and fall of sea levels

Question 3

What was Barrell’s work on?

Answer 3

portrayed cycels in the context of changing base levels (sinusoidal rhythms on sinusoidal rhythms)

Question 4

Describe the Sloss diagram.

Answer 4

cratonic cycles - cycle of land exposure due to tectonic cycles

Question 5

what characterisics of the stratigraphic record does the sedimentological record not address?

Answer 5

1. omissions of geological time between layers
2. sedimentary deposits that display anomalous depositional energies
3. fossil-rich levels such as bone-beds

Question 6

which principle says that the present is the key to the past?

Answer 6

uniformitarianism/gradualism

Question 7

catastrophism vs catastrophic uniformitarianism

Answer 7

• catastrophism: features seen on the surface of the Earth were formed by large, abrupt changes (i.e. catastrophes)
• catastrophic uniformitarianism: both slow and fast processes shaped the Earth and Geological record

Question 8

What is the deadliest type of severe weather?

Answer 8

flooding

Question 9

what is a flood?

Answer 9

overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry

Question 10

tsunami vs jokuhlaup

Answer 10

• tsunami: caused by land movement; anomalous flooding
• jokulhlaup: caused by very rapid melting associated with volcanism; glacial melting

Question 11

What do the Scablands represent? Does it demonstrate catastrophism or uniformitarianism?

Answer 11

• scars of a massive ancient flood
• catastrophism

Question 12

myth of the origin of the Mediterranean Sea

Answer 12

Hercules dug an inlet between Africa and Europe –> allow ocean to flow into the Mediterranean Basin

Question 13

When did the Mediterranean dry up? When did it flood?

Answer 13

• dry = Messinian
• flood = Zanclean

Question 14

Which landscape formation caused the idea of gradualism to be challenged?

Answer 14

Scablands

Question 15

which lake emptied, causing the flood that created the Scablands?

Answer 15

Lake Missoula in Montana

Question 16

What were the peak rates of sea level rise in the Mediterrranean during the Zanclean flood?

Answer 16

more than 10 meters per day

Question 17

Via which strait did the Zanclean flood occur?

Answer 17

Strait of Gibraltar

Question 18

In which epoch did the Zanclean flood occur?

Answer 18

Pliocene

Question 19

In which epoch did the Messinian salinity crisis occur?

Answer 19

Miocene

Question 20

what was the major compound left behind after evaporation in the Messinian salinity crisis?

Answer 20

halite (and carbonates/sulfates)

Question 21

In absolute age, when did the Messinian salinity crisis occur?

Answer 21

5.6 million years ago

Question 22

Where is Messinian salt mined in Italy?

Answer 22

Realmonte Mine in Sicily

Question 23

In absolute age, when did the Zanclean flood occur?

Answer 23

5.33 million years ago

Question 24

order of events during Zanclean flood

Answer 24

1. time of maximum erosion rate at the strait of Gibraltar
2. western basin level reaches Sicily sill
3. eastern basin level reaches Sicily sill
4. mediterranean is filled to normal oceanic level

Question 25

How does strontium level correlate with the messinian salinity crisis and the Zanclean flood?

Answer 25

• messinian: sharp decline in strontium due to evaporation
• zanclean: sharp rise in strontium as flooding occurs

Question 26

what was the discharge and incision rate across the Gibraltar Strait during the Zanclean flod?

Answer 26

• discharge = 10^8 m^3/s
• incision rate = 0.4 m/day

Question 27

How large was the erosion channel during the Zanclean flood?

Answer 27

600 km wide

Question 28

How deep and fast was the water during the Zanclean flood?

Answer 28

500 m deep at 40 m/s

Question 29

Which flood resulted in the largest known sedimentary body deposit on Earth?

Answer 29

Zanclean flood

Question 30

How long did the Zanclean flood last?

Answer 30

few months to 2 years