title: Evidence for extreme climatic warmth from late cretaceous arctic vertebrates
abstract: A Late Cretaceous (92 to 86 million years ago) vertebrate assemblage from the high Canadian Arctic (Axel Heiberg Island) implies that polar climates were warm (mean annual temperature exceeding 14 degreesC) rather than near freezing. The assemblage includes large (2.4 meters long) champsosaurs, which are extinct crocodilelike reptiles. Magmatism at six large igneous provinces at this time suggests that volcanic carbon dioxide emissions helped cause the global warmth.
authors.affiliation: J. A. Tarduno, R. D. Cottrell, H. Scher, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA. D. B. Brinkman, Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Drumheller, Alberta, TOJ OYO, Canada. P. R. Re.
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Tarduno
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Brinkman
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Renne
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Cottrell
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scher
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castillo