Evaluating Zr/Rb Ratio From XRF Scanning as an Indicator of Grain‐Size Variations of Glaciomarine Sediments in the Southern Ocean

Abstract

AbstractThe ln(Zr/Rb) count ratio derived from X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) core scanning holds potential as a high‐resolution tracer for grain‐size variations of glaciomarine sediments, and hence current strength. To evaluate this approach, we conducted high‐resolution grain‐size measurements, together with Rb and Zr measurements by XRF core scanning and inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS), on a series of sediment cores from different regions of the Southern Ocean. Downcore changes of the ln(Zr/Rb) count ratio from XRF core scanning are consistent with Zr/Rb concentration ratios derived from ICP‐MS analyses, even though Rb and Zr counts deviate significantly from concentrations due to specimen and matrix effects. The ln(Zr/Rb) count ratio displays discrepancies with the bulk mean grain‐size, but correlates well with the mean grain‐size of the sediment fractions that do not include unsorted sand delivered by ice‐rafting. These observations are supported by evidence from a grain‐size separation experiment, which indicates that Zr and Rb are concentrated in different grain‐size fractions. Consistent with its lack of sensitivity to coarse grain‐size fractions derived from ice‐rafting, the ln(Zr/Rb) ratio records similar trends to the sortable silt percent (SS%) and sortable silt mean () grain‐size. Universal gradients exist in plots of SS% versus ln(Zr/Rb), and versus ln(Zr/Rb), such that the ln(Zr/Rb) ratio provides a convenient way to estimate the magnitude of changes in SS% and . Overall, our results support the use of the ln(Zr/Rb) ratio as an indicator of bottom current strength in cases where the sediment is current‐sorted.