Cerium anomaly as a tracer for paleo-oceanic redox conditions: A thermodynamics-based Ce oxidation modeling approach

Reconstructing redox conditions in the paleo-ocean is essential to understand Earth’s biogeochemical evolution. Cerium (Ce) anomaly marine sediments has been used distinguish oxic versus anoxic depositional environments Paleo-ocean. Previous studies suggested that dissolved oxygen indispensable cerium oxidation. Therefore, this reaction can be thermodynamically modeled quantify contents ocean. This study presents a series of thermodynamics-based models relate Ce level. We then evaluated these two representatively settings, including an ocean and basin. Finally, we examined relationship on compiled dataset oceanic content. These suggest quantitatively related oxygen, pH, phosphate concentration. Notably, results not sensitive changes environments. By contrast, well correlated with environments, it was less affected by pH research significant implications for using lanthanide patterns ancient carbonates level, especially during events