Clay minerals and geochemistry record from northwest Mediterranean coastal lagoon sequence: Implications for paleostorm reconstruction

Abstract

The paleostorm history of coastal lagoon environments (Pierre Blanche Lagoon, central part of the Gulf of Lions) has been established by integrating clay mineralogy and geochemical analysis. Clay mineralogy combined with bulk major and trace elements concentrations allow for the definition of four different end members: the Mosson drainage basin, the sandy barrier, the biogenic and the anthropic components. The two main sedimentary sources of the lagoonal system are the Mosson drainage basin which has a high concentration of smectite and Al 2O 3, and the sandy barrier characterized by high contents of illite, chlorite, SiO 2 and Zr. Smectite/(illite + chlorite), SiO 2/Al 2O 3 and Zr/Al 2O 3 ratios can be used to reconstruct the past storm history of the Pierre Blanche Lagoon. Our results indicate that the sensitivities of the clay mineralogy and geochemistry proxies are different. These sensitivities could be related: 1) first, to the comparison between different grain size for geochemistry and for clay mineralogy; 2) second, to the complexity of the mix (four end-members for the geochemistry and two end-members for the clay minerals); and 3) third, by the storm's ability to transport sediment of different sizes.