Oxygen isotope study of Cayenne duricrust paleosurfaces: implications for past climate and laterization processes over French Guiana

Abstract

Oxygen isotopic compositions of weathering goethite, hematite, kaolinite and gibbsite in duricrust paleosurfaces of the Cayenne region, northeastern French Guiana, were investigated. Samples were microdrilled from different horizons and different pedogenetic microfacies of three well-characterized duricrust units of Eocene (unit 1) and Miocene (units 2 and 3) age. The results provided valuable information on duricrust formation processes and on climate change over French Guiana. The pristine original isotopic signal, suited for reconstruction of past climates, appears to be best preserved in the massive duricrust facies (middle part of the duricrust). In the overlying pisolotic duricrust and in the underlying mottled zone, the isotopic signal is affected by subsequent re-activation of weathering processes. Oxygen isotope data from massive duricrust indicate that Cayenne duricrusts formed from meteoric waters increasingly depleted in 18O with age. The youngest duricrust paleosurface (unit 3) formed under humid climate similar to present-day, while the two older paleosurfaces formed from meteoric paleo-water distinctly depleted in 18O, reflecting a “moonsonal” contrasted ancient climate for unit 2 added to the 18O-depleted nature of the pre-Miocene ocean for unit 1. The results further suggest that the major climatic change, from tropical wet-and-dry to present-day humid regime, recorded in Amazonia most likely occurred in the Late Miocene, and that Miocene laterization events may be responsible for the secondary bauxitization of the Eocene duricrust paleosurface. The oxygen isotopic composition of weathering minerals occurring in massive duricrust horizons, and in particular in hematite nodules and matrix, may be used as a tool to discriminate among the different duricrust paleosurfaces encountered in Amazonia and constrain the evolution of past climates.