In the Proterozoic Eon, atmospheric oxygen levels are thought to have been lower than modern levels creating chemical stratifications of the oceans. The oceans’ redox and chemistry and the impact of these conditions on the evolution of life is still debated. In this presentation, I will highlight two case studies applying magnetic techniques to provide details on paleoredox, the fossil record, and diagenesis. In the first study, we will look at the ~1075 Ma Nonesuch Formation and its microfossil assemblage, which provide an excellently preserved window into the environments and biosphere of a tropical lake containing an oxycline. In the second study, we looked at a modern euxinic (anoxic and sulfidic) meromictic lake in New Hampshire as a paleo-ocean analogue to probe authigenic iron mineral formation.
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