Länk - Högre temperatur och lägre havsnivåer också möjligt på jorden
These tetraether lipids contribute to the cell membrane of ocean-dwelling Crenarchaeota, ancient organisms that are found at a wide variety of temperatures. In 2004, a team of paleooceanographers showed that the type of tetraether lipids in these cell membranes varies directly with ocean temperature. That means chemical analysis of these compounds can serve as a makeshift thermometer. The TEX86 data confirm that the Turonian tropical ocean was just like a warm bath, with temperatures in the 90s Fahrenheit.
Sea levels, past and future
Previously, studies have shown that during the mid-Turonian, sea levels were decreasing.
Läs mer: Supergreenhouse Climate Mystery: Science Videos - Science News - ScienCentral