Rapid environmental/climate changes and catastrophic events in late Cretaceous and early Cenozoic

During the long-term climate evolution from mid-Cretaceous super-greenhouse conditions to Paleogene icehouse several rapid environmental changes and climate events occurred, namely the Late Cenomanian oceanic anoxic event 2 and the Coniacian-Santonian anoxic event 3 (OAE 2, OAE 3), Cretaceous oceanic red beds (CORBs), the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event (KT or KP-event), and the Late Paleocene (to early Eocene) Thermal Maximum event (PETM-, ELMO-events). The proposed joint seminar investigates recent advances in the understanding of these short-term events, including cooperative field workshop at investigated sites in Austria. This provides a starting point for future cooperation of Austria and Russia in the field of research on rapid environmental/climate changes during greenhouse to icehouse periods with prospective for helping to understand Earth’s future climate evolution.