Response of carbon isotopic compositions of Early-Middle Permian coals in North China to palaeo-climate change

To investigate the magnitude to which the carbon isotopic ratio (delta C-13) varies in coals in response to their contemporary terrestrial environment, the Early-Middle Permian Huainan coals (including coals from the Shanxi Formation, Lower Shihezi Formation and Upper Shihezi Formation) in North China were systematically sampled. A 2.5 parts per thousand variation range of delta C-13 values (-25.15%o to -22.65%o) was observed in Huainan coals, with an average value of -24.06 parts per thousand. As coal diagenesis exerts little influence on carbon isotope fractionation, delta C-13 values in coals were mainly imparted by those of coal -forming flora assemblages which were linked to the contemporary climate. The delta C-13 values in coals from the Shanxi and Lower Shihezi Formations are variable, reflecting unstable climatic oscillations. Heavy carbon isotope is enriched in coals of the Capitanian Upper Shihezi Formation, implying a shift to high positive delta C-13 values of coeval atmospheric CO2. Notably, our study provides evidence of the Kamura event in the terrestrial environment for the first time.