<p>I would not expect the air or sky to look very different than here on Earth right now. You don't need much dust and haze to have a significant impact on climate: just think of the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/373399a0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pinatubo event</a> in 1991 which led to measurable effects due to aerosols increase in the higher atmosphere - and an increased rate of colourful sunsets caused by the aerosols and their slow sedimentation from the stratosphere to the ground over the following 2-3 years. Yet the impact on the everyday weather or lower-layer cloud cover is not significant with maybe the exception of (thin) stratospheric clouds: <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/6Mj4tkBM.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/6Mj4tkBM.png" alt="Volcanic influence on the radiation balance of the atmosphere" /></a>
This is figure 1 from the cited paper showing the impact of volcanos on the radiation balance. Mind that the stratospheric opacity to the visible light is exagerated for visualisation purposes in this image - it only needs a very slight increase to have a significant impact on the temperature.</p>
<p>The slightly more hazy atmosphere asside (with the more colourful sun rises and sunsets), the assumed different composition of the atmosphere itself is not big enough to change the colour perception of the atmosphere. Possibly the distant haze with elevated levels of sulfuric and nitrous particles is slightly more brownish than the blueish tint due to scattering at a clear day we find today (think of smog conditions in cities). But you can choose any weather condition you might like to illustrate the point you want to make - but the typical weather should not be much different than now (of course depending on the geographical circumstance).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-19T19:17:48.767Z
Thanks for the detailed explanation. I'm just wondering if an isolated volcanic event could be comparable with prolonged global volcanic activity. On the other hand, one of the papers mentioned a 23kyr gap between volcanic activity and oxygen depletion - in which case, even if there were a lot of solid particles released (of which I cannot be sure), I imagine it would be a long enough time for the "dust to settle"...
user3758232
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-19T12:51:37.727Z
2024-11-19T12:51:37.727Z
planetmaker
<p>I'm working on an artist's rendering of Earth's environment during the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 in the Mid-Cretaceous (93.5 MYA). I am not a scientist, so bear with my hand-waving.</p>
<p>Articles I read (<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature07076" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-022-01115-w" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a> e.g.) talk mainly about oceanic conditions, but also mention high volcanic activity.</p>
<p>Can we imagine with a fair degree of realism how the sky and lighting must have been seen from Earth during OAE2? would there be a heavy lid of dark clouds, and dim, diffuse lighting?  A white-gray haze? Or would the sky occasionally show through, and direct sunlight may hit the surface?</p>
<p>Any hints would be gladly appreciated!</p>

<atmosphere>
Artist's rendering of OAE2 environment (mid-Cretaceous)
user3758232
# Artist's rendering of OAE2 environment (mid-Cretaceous)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-11-18)

I'm working on an artist's rendering of Earth's environment during the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 in the Mid-Cretaceous (93.5 MYA). I am not a scientist, so bear with my hand-waving.

Articles I read ([here](https://www.nature.com/articles/nature07076) and [here](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-022-01115-w) e.g.) talk mainly about oceanic conditions, but also mention high volcanic activity.

Can we imagine with a fair degree of realism how the sky and lighting must have been seen from Earth during OAE2? would there be a heavy lid of dark clouds, and dim, diffuse lighting? A white-gray haze? Or would the sky occasionally show through, and direct sunlight may hit the surface?

Any hints would be gladly appreciated!

**Tags:** atmosphere


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-11-19. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

I would not expect the air or sky to look very different than here on Earth right now. You don't need much dust and haze to have a significant impact on climate: just think of the [Pinatubo event](https://www.nature.com/articles/373399a0) in 1991 which led to measurable effects due to aerosols increase in the higher atmosphere - and an increased rate of colourful sunsets caused by the aerosols and their slow sedimentation from the stratosphere to the ground over the following 2-3 years. Yet the impact on the everyday weather or lower-layer cloud cover is not significant with maybe the exception of (thin) stratospheric clouds: [![Volcanic influence on the radiation balance of the atmosphere](https://i.sstatic.net/6Mj4tkBM.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/6Mj4tkBM.png)
This is figure 1 from the cited paper showing the impact of volcanos on the radiation balance. Mind that the stratospheric opacity to the visible light is exagerated for visualisation purposes in this image - it only needs a very slight increase to have a significant impact on the temperature.

The slightly more hazy atmosphere asside (with the more colourful sun rises and sunsets), the assumed different composition of the atmosphere itself is not big enough to change the colour perception of the atmosphere. Possibly the distant haze with elevated levels of sulfuric and nitrous particles is slightly more brownish than the blueish tint due to scattering at a clear day we find today (think of smog conditions in cities). But you can choose any weather condition you might like to illustrate the point you want to make - but the typical weather should not be much different than now (of course depending on the geographical circumstance).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the detailed explanation. I'm just wondering if an isolated volcanic event could be comparable with prolonged global volcanic activity. On the other hand, one of the papers mentioned a 23kyr gap between volcanic activity and oxygen depletion - in which case, even if there were a lot of solid particles released (of which I cannot be sure), I imagine it would be a long enough time for the "dust to settle"...  

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