{"paper_id":"5bb4e5ba-6eb3-4558-b050-60d3bfbccd93","body_text":"Quantifying key drivers of marine pyrite burial flux and isotopic composition | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Physical Sciences - Article Quantifying key drivers of marine pyrite burial flux and isotopic composition Cornelia Mertens, Sarah Paradis, Jordon Hemingway This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4788953/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 12 Dec, 2025 Read the published version in Nature Geoscience → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Pyrite formation and burial in marine sediments decreases atmospheric CO2 and increases O2 levels. However, the sedimentological conditions that control pyrite burial remain poorly constrained, precluding quantitative reconstructions of sulphur cycle regulation on atmospheric compositions. Building on updated understanding of pyrite isotope dynamics, here we provide mechanistic insight by developing a non-dimensional diagenetic model that extracts the natural variables governing pyrite formation rates and sulphur isotopic compositions (δ34S values). Both properties are controlled by the local ratios of organic carbon content to sulphate concentration and organic carbon reactivity to sedimentation rate; formation rate is additionally sensitive to reactive iron delivery. Using only globally interpolated boundary values as inputs, our model accurately predicts signals recorded in a validation dataset of 216 sediment cores from diverse environmental settings across the modern ocean. Extrapolating this, we estimate a global pyrite burial flux of 7.0 × 10^12 mol S yr^-1 (sensitivity test range: 2.5 × 10^12 to 19.0 × 10^12 mol S yr^-1) with a weighted-average δ34S value of -4 ‰ VCDT (range: -8 to +3 ‰ VCDT). This flux is substantially larger than that of terrestrial pyrite oxidation (1.3 × 10^12 mol S yr^-1), indicating that the sulphur cycle is currently not in steady state, but rather described by net pyrite burial and thus atmospheric O2 accumulation. Finally, we utilise this model framework to invert the geologic pyrite δ34S record and assess changes in sedimentological properties and pyrite burial flux throughout the Phanerozoic Eon. Earth and environmental sciences/Biogeochemistry Earth and environmental sciences/Ocean sciences/Marine chemistry Earth and environmental sciences/Climate sciences/Biogeochemistry Earth and environmental sciences/Climate sciences/Ocean sciences/Marine chemistry Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology/Biogeochemistry Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files SupplementaryData1.zip Supplementary Data 1 SupplementaryData2.zip Supplementary Data 2 Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 12 Dec, 2025 Read the published version in Nature Geoscience → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-4788953\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Physical Sciences - Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":341244997,\"identity\":\"f72f270a-48a3-4152-be4f-2523d47af804\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"Cornelia 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