Tephra layers in the Siple Dome and Taylor Dome ice cores, Antarctica: Sources and correlations

Abstract

Volcanic ash, or tephra layers, are found in the Taylor Dome, Siple Dome A, and Siple Dome B ice cores. Significant shard concentrations are found at a number of depths in all three cores. Electron and ion microprobe analyses indicate that the geochemical composition of most layers is basaltic, basanitic, or trachytic, and the geochemical signatures of the layers suggest derivation from the Pleiades volcanic center, Mt. Melbourne volcano, or small mafic centers, probably in the Royal Society Range area. Presence of tephra layers suggests an episode of previously unrecognized Antarctic volcanic activity between 1776 and 1805 A.D., from at least two volcanic centers. A strong geochemical correlation (D = 3.49 and 3.97 with a value of 4 considered identical) is observed between tephra layers at depth of 79.2 m in the Taylor Dome ice core, and layers between 97.2 and 97.7 m depth in the Siple B core. This correlation, and the highly accurate depth‐age scale of the Siple B core suggest that the age of this horizon in the Taylor Dome ice core presented by Steig et al. [1998a, 2000] should be revised downward, to the younger age of 675 ± 25 years before 1995. This revised chronology is consistent with vertical strain measurements presented by Hawley et al. [2003].