Articles | Volume 22, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-357-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-357-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
12 Feb 2026
Research article |
| 12 Feb 2026
| 12 Feb 2026
Decoding the North Atlantic Ocean circulation breakthrough in the Aptian–Albian transition
João M. F. Ramos
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A., Rio de Janeiro (PETROBRAS), Av. Henrique Valadares 28, 20231-030 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Jairo F. Savian
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Daniel R. Franco
Coordenação de Geofísica, Observatório Nacional, R. General José Cristino 77, 20921-400 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Milene F. Figueiredo
Centro de Pesquisas e Desenvolvimento Leopoldo Américo Miguez de Mello, Petrobras Petróleo Brasileiro S.A, Avenida Horácio Macedo 950, 21941-915 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rodolfo Coccioni
Università degli Studi di Urbino “Carlo Bo”, 61029 Urbino, Italy
Fabrizio Frontalini
Dipartimento di Scienze Pure e Applicate (DiSPeA), Università degli Studi di Urbino “Carlo Bo”, 61029 Urbino, Italy
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Short summary
During the Aptian–Albian interval of the Cretaceous, Earth's climate changed significantly due to volcanism, atmospheric shifts, and reorganised ocean circulation. These changes influenced marine sediments, especially reddish Cretaceous oceanic red beds (CORBs), which reflect intervals of deep-ocean oxygenation. This study analysed sediment cores from ODP Site 1049 (North Atlantic) to determine when CORBs formed and whether similar patterns occurred in other basins, such as the Tethys.
During the Aptian–Albian interval of the Cretaceous, Earth's climate changed significantly due...
