Mo–total organic carbon covariation in modern anoxic marine environments: Implications for analysis of paleoredox and paleohydrographic conditions

Sedimentary molybdenum, [Mo] s , has been widely used as a proxy for benthic redox potential owing to its generally strong enrichment in organic‐rich marine facies deposited under oxygen‐depleted conditions. A detailed analysis of [Mo] s –total organic carbon (TOC) covariation in modern anoxic marine environments and its relationship to ambient water chemistry suggests that (1) [Mo] s , while useful in distinguishing oxic from anoxic facies, is not related in a simple manner to dissolved sulfide concentrations within euxinic environments and (2) patterns of [Mo] s ‐TOC covariation can provide information about paleohydrographic conditions, especially the degree of restriction of the subchemoclinal water mass…