Dust and loess as archives and agents of climate and climate change in the late Paleozoic Earth system

Abstract Palaeo-loess and silty aeolian-marine strata are well recognized across the Carboniferous–Permian of equatorial Pangaea. Aeolian-transported dust loess appear in Late Devonian west, common by Carboniferous, predominate Pangaea Permian. The thickest deposits Earth history – excess 1000 m date from this time, archive unusually dusty conditions, especially compared to dearth Cenozoic. Loess archives a confluence silt generation, aeolian emission transport, ultimate accumulation traps that included ephemerally wet surfaces epeiric seas. Orogenic belts sourced silt, mountain glaciation may have exacerbated voluminous production, but remains controversial. In western Pangaea, large rivers transported westward, floodplain deflation supplied for dust. Expansion deposition Pennsylvanian time records aridification progressed west east. Contemporaneous volcanism created acidic atmospheric conditions enhance nutrient reactivity dusts, affecting Earth's carbon cycle. late Paleozoic was largest most long-lived bowl, represents both an agent climate change.