Age-depth Model Research Articles

Lake sediments on the Adamawa Plateau (Central Cameroon) as archives of climate change and the Bantu impact during the last 4000 years BP

AbstractThis study investigates Late Holocene environmental changes in Central Cameroon induced by the combined effects of climate and human impact. For this purpose, sediments from lakes Dang, Massote, Fonjak and Ngaoundaba were studied through lithologic analysis including mineralogical composition and organic geochemistry combined with radiocarbon dates. From these analyses, the sediments at the base of lakes Massote and Dang cores are respectively dated to 4680–3530 and 4220–3580 cal yr BP, whereas the sediments of lakes Fonjak and Ngaoundaba seem to be younger, respectively dated to 3210–3000 and 1870–1740 cal yr BP. Lake sedimentation is dominated by organic matter (OM) poor deposits (OM < 3%) in the lower sections and OM-rich deposits (OM: 5–54%) in the upper sections. This shift from OM-poor to OM-rich sedimentation induced by climate variations occurred at $$\sim $$ ∼ 2800–2400 cal yr BP. The mineral assemblage is predominantly composed of kaolinite with minor contributions from chlorite, smectite, chlorite/smectite, illite/smectite, quartz, K-feldspar, gibbsite, plagioclase, siderite, hematite and goethite. These sediments are clastic, except for Lake Fonjak core sediments which correspond to peat intercalated with carbonate clay and clastic deposits. Age-depth models suggest that the sedimentation rate was 0.2 mm yr-1 for lakes Dang and Massote before $$\sim $$ ∼ 690–560 cal yr BP and $$\sim $$ ∼ 660–470 cal yr BP, respectively. Thereafter, it increased to 0.8 mm yr-1 in Lake Dang and 0.7 mm yr-1 in Lake Massote. Finally, Late Holocene environment changes in Central Cameroon consisted of the shift of open water lakes to marshy fringes with abundant vegetation induced by human activities and facilitated by increasing seasonality.

Echoes of a Cold War

The Kara Sea was an area of radionuclide contamination as a result of nuclear weapons testing, since it is located in close proximity to the nuclear test site on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. The vertical distribution of 137Cs and 210Pb in 15 sediment cores from the sea made it possible to reconstruct the chronology of 137Cs entry into marine sediments. The reconstruction was based on the age-depth model RUS2023 (Rusakov et al., 2024) for 210Pbex, taking into account the grain-size composition and sorption capacity of sediments. Our study showed that higher 137Cs concentrations in sediments of the Novaya Zemlya Trough correspond to the time of active nuclear weapons testing in 1961–63 (about 9.0±1.6 Bq kg‒1), as well as in estuarine sediments of the Yenisei Bay in 1986 (85.2±3.2 Bq kg‒1). The abnormally high flux in 1980s represents the superposition of 137Cs fluxes as a result of global fallout (Chernobyl trace) and as a result of the release of radionuclide from regional source located in the Yenisei River catchment. Both of these events are associated with increased the sedimentation and mass accumulation rates of marine sediments. In 1961‒63, this was a consequence of the release of sediment into the atmosphere due to nuclear explosions, and in the 1980s, as a result of an increase in sediment supply with river runoff. Currently, against the backdrop of a decrease in sediment fluxes into the sea, Novaya Zemlya and Yenisei River remain the main sources of 137Cs supply to marine sediments. Background values for recent sediments in the Kara Sea are <2.0 Bq kg‒1.

Clustered slumping in the northern South China Sea: Implications for chronology and geohazards

Seismic facies analysis is the most widely used method to identify event deposits from subaqueous environments. However, the internal structures of a chaotic or transparent seismic unit that represent event deposits are usually poorly imaged. This is primarily due to the limited resolution (usually <10 m) of commonly available multi-channel seismic reflection data. As a consequence, potential (sub)meter-thick, interbedded background sediments that may divide the chaotic layer cannot be discerned on such a seismic profile. The result of this, is that a complex of multiple moderate-thickness event layers can be misinterpreted as a single, thick event layer and this can greatly impact age-depth model reconstruction and geohazard assessment. One approach to resolve the problem is to correlate seismic data with high-resolution sediment core analysis. To address the problem in the South China Sea, we combine multiple methods to identify event deposits in the IODP holes U1499A and U1432C. Our dataset reveals that: (1) the previously interpreted ~50 m-thick slumping unit in the region is a complex of multiple moderately sized units; (2) the slumping events are clustered between 0.6 and 0.4 Ma. Using our new understanding of event emplacement, we define event-free age models for mass wasting on the margin of the South China Sea, improving our understanding of local geohazards. Our methods here represent a sedimentological approach which could be used in other subaqueous environments to reconstruct event-free age models and geohazard histories.

Sediment Accumulation Rates and High-Resolution Age-Depth Models

Sediment accumulation rates are a powerful tool for interpreting the rock record, offering insight into the depositional environment of a given locality and the (in)completeness of a given stratigraphic record. Classic approaches to sediment accumulation rate characterization required large data compilations, but the advent of high-resolution age models enables the use of individual sections and regional composite records to generate a large enough sample size of accumulation rates to estimate stratigraphic completeness. Because of these prior limitations, it is unclear how precisely accumulation rates are known for many stratigraphic sections, with rare and discrete horizon-horizon accumulation rates potentially biasing results. Here, I explore how to leverage high-resolution age-depth models to reveal accumulation rate-duration trends for individual sections and to better understand depositional histories by calculating accumulation rates for every horizon in a given section. First, I demonstrate these analyses on three synthetic age-depth models. I then examine regional composite carbon isotope records from the Ediacaran to test the effectiveness of my method on real data. Based on the accumulation rate–duration relationship, I estimate that the Ediacaran Oman and China stratigraphies are ~22% and ~37% complete at a 1-Myr interval, respectively. I find that accumulation rates drop following the Gaskiers glaciation and are relatively low during the Shuram carbon isotope excursion. Furthermore, the Oman carbon isotope stratigraphy demonstrates increasing accumulation rates across the Ediacaran, peaking near the Ediacaran–Cambrian boundary. Using an iterative technique, I estimate mean accumulation rates and durations, with uncertainty, and demonstrate how iterative-style Sadler plots can be used to interrogate depositional histories. In an effort to facilitate this approach and further quantitative developments across the stratigraphy community, I provide an open-source function that generates the plots herein for any stratigraphic record with an accompanying age-depth model.

An OSL-dated, stacked Holocene dust mass accumulation rate record on the Chinese Loess Plateau and its implications for Northern Hemisphere dust activity

Accurate reconstruction of geological dust activity is crucial for understanding past climate change and its interaction with dust cycle. Loess on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) is an ideal and sensitive material for revisiting past dust activity. Previously, the changes in the dust mass accumulation rate (MAR) over various time scales were widely established on the CLP. However, few absolutely dated dust records have been obtained and synthesized for the Holocene. This study addresses this gap by compiling 23 optically stimulated luminescence-dated Holocene loess sections across the CLP. We developed a high-quality chronology via Bayesian age-depth modeling and derived a MAR record for each section. Then, we obtained a mean MAR record for the CLP by stacking individual records. We propose that, in contrast to site-specific MARs, stacked MARs represent the mean dust accumulation conditions for the entire CLP and can be used to track relatively large-scale dust activity and climate change. The stacked MAR record suggests a moderate weakening trend of dust accumulation from ∼11.5 to 7.5 thousand years ago (ka BP), followed by a pronounced strengthening trend from ∼7.5 to 3.0 ka BP. A comparison with other regional dust records reveals a shift in dust activity at ∼8–6 ka BP in northern China and western Mongolia. We argue that the East Asian winter and summer monsoons jointly contributed to Holocene mean dust MAR variations on the CLP by changing dust transport wind energy and dust source aridity, respectively. A comparison of Holocene dust records in Asia with those in the northwestern Pacific Ocean and Greenland suggests asynchronous variations in dust activity between proximal and distal Asia-sourced dust deposition. This is because, unlike proximal deposition, distal deposition can be controlled not only by the dust source conditions but also by the intensity and the position of the Westerlies.

Historical co-enrichment, source attribution, and risk assessment of critical nutrients and heavy metal/metalloids in lake sediments: insights from Chaohu Lake, China.

In Chinese freshwater lakes, eutrophication often coincides with heavy metal/metalloids (HM/Ms) pollution, yet the coevolution of critical nutrients (P, S, Se) and HM/Ms (Cd, Hg, etc.) remains understudied. To address this gap, we conducted a sedimentary chemistry analysis on a 30cm-deep core, dating back approximately 200years, retrieved from Chaohu Lake, China. The age-depth model revealed a gradual increase in deposition rates over time. Notably, the concentrations and enrichment factors (EFs) of most target elements surged in the uppermost ~ 15cm layer, covering the period from 1953 to 2013, while both the concentrations and EFs in deeper layers remained relatively stable, except for Hg. This trend indicates a significant co-enrichment and near-synchronous increase in the levels and EFs of both nutrients and HM/Ms in the upper sediment layers since the mid-twentieth century. Anthropogenic factors were identified as the primary drivers of the enrichment of P, Se, Cd, Hg, Zn, and Te in the upper core, with their contributions also showing a coupled evolutionary trend over time. Conversely, geological activities governed the enrichment of elements in the lower half of the core. The gradual accumulation of anthropogenic Hg between the - 30 to - 15cm layers might be attributed to global Hg deposition resulting from the industrial revolution. The ecological risk index (RI) associated with HM/Ms loading has escalated rapidly over the past 50years, with Cd and Hg posing the greatest threats. Furthermore, the PMF model was applied to specifically quantify source contributions of these elements in the core, with anthropogenic and geogenic factors accounting for ~ 60 and ~ 40%, respectively. A good correlation (r2 = 0.87, p < 0.01) between the PMF and Ti-normalized method was observed, indicating their feasibility and cross-validation in source apportionment. Finally, we highlighted environment impact and health implications of the co-enrichment of nutrients and HM/Ms. This knowledge is crucial for developing strategies to protect freshwater ecosystems from the combined impacts of eutrophication and HM/Ms pollution, thereby promoting water environment and human health.

Post-depositional modification on seasonal-to-interannual timescales alters the deuterium-excess signals in summer snow layers in Greenland

Abstract. We document the isotopic evolution of near-surface snow at the East Greenland Ice Core Project (EastGRIP) ice core site in northeast Greenland using a time-resolved array of 1 m deep isotope (δ18O, δD) profiles. The snow profiles were taken from May–August during the 2017–2019 summer seasons. An age–depth model was developed and applied to each profile, mitigating the impacts of stratigraphic noise on isotope signals. Significant changes in deuterium excess (d) are observed in surface snow and near-surface snow as the snow ages. Decreases in d of up to 5 ‰ occur during summer seasons after deposition during two of the three summer seasons observed. The d always experiences a 3 ‰–5 ‰ increase after aging 1 year in the snow due to a broadening of the autumn d maximum. Models of idealized scenarios coupled with prior work indicate that the summertime post-depositional changes in d (Δd) can be explained by a combination of surface sublimation, forced ventilation of the near-surface snow down to 20–30 cm, and isotope-gradient-driven diffusion throughout the column. The interannual Δd is also partly explained with isotope-gradient-driven diffusion, but other mechanisms are at work that leave a bias in the d record. Thus, d does not just carry information about source-region conditions and transport history as is commonly assumed, but also integrates local conditions into summer snow layers as the snow ages through metamorphic processes. Finally, we observe a dramatic increase in the seasonal isotope-to-temperature sensitivity, which can be explained solely by isotope-gradient-driven diffusion. Our results are dependent on the site characteristics (e.g., wind, temperature, accumulation rate, snow properties) but indicate that more process-based research is necessary to understand water isotopes as climate proxies. Recommendations for monitoring and physical modeling are given, with special attention to the d parameter.

High resolution luminescence and radiocarbon dating of Holocene Aeolian silt (loess) in west Greenland

Loess–palaeosol sequences serve as valuable archives of changes in climate and atmospheric mineral dust deposition. However, little work has been conducted on Holocene loess in the Arctic, despite the sensitivity of this region to climate changes. Aeolian silt/loess profiles in the ice-free region of western Greenland near Kangerlussuaq were sampled to develop a robust age framework using both luminescence and bulk organic matter radiocarbon dating. Radiocarbon ages generally show consistent age increases with depth but are likely offset to younger ages due to sediment mixing in the upper 10–20 cm of the profiles. Quartz OSL signals exhibit insensitivity, while low-temperature infrared stimulated luminescence performed at 50 °C (IR50) and the post-IR IRSL at 180 °C (pIRIR180) signals of polymineral fine grain revealed a consistent natural inherited dose of approximately 5 Gy for pIRIR180 and an unbleachable residual of around 2 Gy for IR50, with substantial fading rates in the latter. This led to a notable age overestimation when compared with bulk organic matter radiocarbon ages. To develop an appropriate dating approach, we evaluated the differential bleaching rates of feldspar IR50 and pIRIR180 signals, and corrected for modern inherited doses. Radiocarbon ages measured on the bulk organic carbon oxidised at 400 °C (LT 14C) increased very consistently with depth, allowing calculation of accumulation rates. The presence of the atmospheric radiocarbon bomb signal at depth indicated down-mixing of surface material into the profile, which caused negative (younger) age offsets. The offset-corrected radiocarbon-based age-depth model could be compared to the luminescence results.We show that a combination of LT 14C with polymineral pIRIR180 dating allows the development of age models for these deposits. This multi-chronological approach reveals that loess accumulation in the region was initiated around 4 ka, probably consisting of two main phases of loess accumulation at 4–3 ka and <1 ka. The initial phase matches the proposed onset of aeolian sand activity in the wider region, but post-dates local ice retreat by c. 3 kyr. The more recent phase of accumulation also matches the timing of increased sand accumulation in the region and likely coincides with Neoglacial to Little Ice Age ice advances, or even enhanced dust activity in the last decades.

Influence of changing water mass circulation on detrital component and carbon burial of late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments in the eastern-central Mid-Adriatic deep

A sediment core was retrieved in the eastern-central Mid-Adriatic Deep (MAD) to study the changes in the water mass circulation and their effect on carbon burial efficiency and the provenance of a detrital sediment component. An age-depth model of the sediment core POS-514-40-11 is based on radiocarbon dating and tephrochronology. Two tephra were correlated to the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff and Pomici di Mercato eruptions, extending the previously known distribution of Pomici di Mercato tephra. Based on the analysis of heavy mineral (HM) assemblages throughout the core, for the first time the occurrence of Eastern Adriatic current (EAC) was estimated at ca. 15 ka BP, i.e., at the beginning of the post last glacial maximum (LGM) transgression. During the late Pleistocene, the detrital component was dominated by Paleo-Po river sediments, which gradually shifted toward the Albanian province as a basin-wide counterclockwise circulation was established. Mass accumulation rates of organic carbon (OC), stable isotopes of carbon (δ 13C) and nitrogen (δ 15N) as well as C/N ratios, showed that carbon burial was affected by sea level rise and climatic changes. Climatic effects are observed during cold periods i.e., the Younger Dryas and the 8.4–7.9 ka cold period when terrestrial OC was dominant. In the latter case dominance of terrestrial carbon was due to the North Adriatic dense water (NAddW) influence. On the other hand, sea level rise increased MAD distance from the main river mouths/deltas, resulting in decreased influx of terrestrial organic carbon and lower accumulation rates of organic carbon in general. This reconstruction of the oceanographic setting is valuable considering that the Adriatic Sea is one of the key locations for the formation of DW and thus affects the overall Mediterranean circulation.

Dating the Neanderthal environment: Detailed luminescence chronology of a palaeochannel sediment core at the Palaeolithic site of Lichtenberg in the Lower Saxony, northern Germany

Northern Germany is famous for its numerous Neanderthal (Middle Palaeolithic) archaeological sites and well-preserved palaeoclimate records. Nevertheless, our understanding of how hominins responded to climate fluctuations and adapted to changing environments in this region remains limited because there are only a few reliable, highly-resolved chronological frameworks of long stratigraphic successions. Most of the Middle Palaeolithic sites in this region lack a reliable chronostratigraphy beyond the radiocarbon dating range. In this study, we present a high-resolution optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) chronology derived from a ∼21 m long sediment core (Li-BPa) that was drilled in close proximity to the known Neanderthal site of Lichtenberg. Quartz OSL dating was applied to the upper 6.5 m of the core. Subsequently, the obtained quartz OSL ages were compared with feldspar post-infrared (IR) IRSL (pIRIR) measured at 290 °C (pIRIR290), pulsed IR50 (pre-pIRIR225), and pulsed pIRIR225 ages to select a suitable feldspar signal to date older samples. A comparison of the quartz and feldspar ages indicates that only fading-corrected pulsed IR50 (pre-pIRIR225) and pIRIR225 ages agree well with quartz OSL ages. Finally, the age framework of the sediment sequence was established based on the 11 quartz OSL ages and 23 fading-corrected pulsed IR50 (pre-pIRIR225) and pulsed pIRIR225 ages. The resulting Bacon age-depth model agrees with litho- and biostratigraphic designations, indicating that the whole sequence was deposited between ca. 275 ka and ca. 24 ka, corresponding to the Saalian to Weichselian periods.

Combining orbital tuning and direct dating approaches to age-depth model development for Chew Bahir, Ethiopia

The directly dated RRMarch2021 age model (Roberts et al., 2021) for the ∼293 m long composite core from Chew Bahir, southern Ethiopia, has provided a valuable chronology for long-term climate changes in northeastern Africa. However, the age model has limitations on shorter time scales (less than 1–2 precession cycles), especially in the time range <20 kyr BP (kiloyears before present or thousand years before 1950) and between ∼155 and 428 kyr BP. To address those constraints we developed a partially orbitally tuned age model. A comparison with the ODP Site 967 record of the wetness index from the eastern Mediterranean, 3300 km away but connected to the Ethiopian plateau via the River Nile, suggests that the partially orbitally tuned age model offers some advantages compared to the exclusively directly dated age model, with the limitation of the reduced significance of (cross) spectral analysis results of tuned age models in cause-effect studies. The availability of this more detailed age model is a prerequisite for further detailed spatiotemporal correlations of climate variability and its potential impact on the exchange of different populations of Homo sapiens in the region.

Revised OSL chronology of the Kisiljevo loess-palaeosol sequence: New insight into the dust flux in the eastern Carpathian Basin during MIS 3 - MIS1

This study presents a detailed investigation of the Kisiljevo loess-palaeosol sequence in north-eastern Serbia, offering a refined understanding of its paleoenvironmental dynamics. Contrasting our updated OSL chronology with a previous study, reveals discrepancies, particularly at 400 cm depth, where a considerable age underestimation is evident. While variations in sampling depth and methodology may contribute to some differences, the substantial deviation raises concern about the reliability of the earlier chronology. Our robust age-depth model constructed using Bayesian modelling, and the consistent increase in ages with depth suggest a potential underestimation in the uppermost layer of the earlier study, possibly due to partial bleaching or post-depositional mixing. The Bayesian age-depth model portrays a continuous sedimentation history from the later stages of Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3) to the present day. The patterns in the calculated Mass Accumulation Rates reveal distinctive peaks during MIS 3 and the middle of MIS 2, deviating from typical dust deposition models. The MIS 3 peaks in dustiness could be attributed to regional factors such as increased transportation rates, enhanced trapping efficiency, or elevated palaeowind intensity. This research not only enhances our understanding of the Kisiljevo LPS but also provides valuable insights into regional paleoenvironmental dynamics. The study emphasizes the importance of considering local geological variations in reconstructing past climates from sediment archives and sets the stage for further investigations into the factors influencing dust deposition in north-eastern Serbia. The MAR trends established here serve as a crucial reference for broader paleoclimatic interpretations in the Carpathian Basin.

Drivers of late Holocene ice core chemistry in Dronning Maud Land: the context for the ISOL-ICE project

Abstract. Within the framework of the Isotopic Constraints on Past Ozone Layer in Polar Ice (ISOL-ICE) project, we present initial ice core results from the new ISOL-ICE ice core covering the last millennium from high-elevation Dronning Maud Land (DML) and discuss the implications for interpreting the stable isotopic composition of nitrogen in ice core nitrate (δ15N(NO3-)) as a surface ultra-violet radiation (UV) and total column ozone (TCO) proxy. In the quest to derive TCO using δ15N(NO3-), an understanding of past snow accumulation changes, as well as aerosol source regions and present-day drivers of their variability, is required. We therefore report here the ice core age–depth model, the snow accumulation and ice chemistry records, and correlation analysis of these records with climate variables over the observational era (1979–2016). The ISOL-ICE ice core covers the last 1349 years from 668 to 2017 CE ± 3 years, extending previous ice core records from the region by 2 decades towards the present and shows excellent reproducibility with those records. The extended ISOL-ICE record of last 2 decades showed a continuation of the methane sulfonate (MSA−) increase from ∼ 1800 to present while there were less frequent large deposition events of sea salts relative to the last millennium. While our chemical data do not allow us to distinguish the ultimate (sea ice or the open ocean) source of sea salt aerosols in DML winter aerosol, our correlation analysis clearly suggests that it is mainly the variability in atmospheric transport and not the sea ice extent that explains the interannual variability in sea salt concentrations in DML. Correlation of the snow accumulation record with climate variables over the observational era showed that precipitation at ISOL-ICE is predominately derived from the South Atlantic with onshore winds delivering marine air masses to the site. The snow accumulation rate was stable over the last millennium with no notable trends over the last 2 decades relative to the last millennium. Interannual variability in the accumulation record, ranging between 2 and 20 cm a−1 (w.e.), would influence the ice core δ15N(NO3-) record. The mean snow accumulation rate of 6.5±2.4 cm a−1 (w.e.) falls within the range suitable for reconstructing surface mass balance from ice core δ15N(NO3-), highlighting that the ISOL-ICE ice core δ15N(NO3-) can be used to reconstruct either the surface mass balance or surface UV if the ice core δ15N(NO3-) is corrected for the snow accumulation influence, thereby leaving the UV imprint in the δ15N(NO3-) ice core record to quantify natural ozone variability.

A formation record of modern Nitraria tangutorum nebkhas on the Ordos Plateau of northern China based on optically stimulated luminescence dating

Nebkhas, as special biologically mediated aeolian landforms, play an important role in indicating regional aeolian activities and aeolian environmental changes. The Ordos Plateau is located in arid and semiarid regions of northern China that have a wide distribution of Nitraria tangutorum nebkhas. There are few chronological records of nebkha formation, so the history of the formation and evolution of nebkhas in the plateau is still unclear. In addition, the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating method, which has been widely used in the dating of Holocene aeolian sediments, has not yet been applied to the dating of nebkha sediments in the Ordos Plateau. In this study, OSL methods were used to discuss the formation age and relevant aeolian activities of Nitraria tangutorum nebkhas in the Ordos Plateau. The results demonstrated that (1) the coarse-grained quartz OSL signals of nebkha sediments were insensitive and thus were inapplicable by the single aliquot regenerative (SAR) protocol. (2) The luminescence characteristics of the K-feldspar fraction and internal checks of the post-infrared infrared-stimulated (pIRIR) dating indicated that the pIR50IR170 protocol with 200 °C of preheating was applicable for De determinations of nebkha sediments. (3) The residual doses of the pIRIR170 signals ranging from 0.02 to 0.14 Gy should be considered when calculating De values. (4) Bayesian age-depth models were used for the Nitraria tangutorum nebkha sedimentary sequences. The formation of nebkhas occurred during a relatively dry climate period accompanied by strong aeolian activity. That ∼0.38 ka was the main growth period of Nitraria tangutorum nebkhas. This study is the first report of the formation age of nebkhas of more than one hundred years in the region.

Regional beryllium-10 production rate for the mid-elevation mountainous regions in central Europe, deduced from a multi-method study of moraines and lake sediments in the Black Forest

Abstract. Beryllium-10 cosmic-ray exposure (CRE) dating has revolutionized our understanding of glacier fluctuations around the globe. A key prerequisite for the successful application of this dating method is the determination of regional production rates of in situ accumulated 10Be, usually inferred at independently dated calibration sites. Until now, no calibration site has been available for the mid-elevation mountain ranges of central Europe. We fill this gap by determining in situ 10Be concentrations in large boulders on moraines and by applying radiocarbon and infrared-stimulated luminescence (IRSL) dating to stratigraphically younger lake sediments in the southern Black Forest, SW Germany. The dating methods yielded concordant results, and, based on age–depth modelling with 14C ages, the age of a cryptotephra, and IRSL ages, we deduced a regional 10Be production rate in quartz. Calibrating the Black Forest production rate (BFPR) in the Cosmic-Ray Exposure program (CREp) resulted in a spallogenic sea-level and high-latitude (SLHL) production rate of 3.64±0.11 atoms 10Be g−1 quartz a−1 when referring to time-dependent Lal–Stone scaling, the European Reanalysis (ERA)-40 atmosphere model, and the atmospheric 10Be-based geomagnetic database in CREp. The BFPR turned out to be ∼11 % lower than both those at the nearest calibration site in the Alps (4.10±0.10 atoms 10Be g−1 quartz a−1 at SLHL) and the canonical global 10Be production rate (4.11±0.19 atoms 10Be g−1 quartz a−1 at SLHL) in CREp. A stronger weathering and snow cover bias and a higher impact of forest, soil, moss, and shrub cover at the study site likely explain this discrepancy.

The preservation of storm events in the geologic record of New Jersey, USA

ABSTRACTGeologic reconstructions of overwash events can extend storm records beyond the brief instrumental record. However, the return periods of storms calculated from geologic records alone may underestimate the frequency of events given the preservation bias of geologic records. Here, we compare a geologic reconstruction of storm activity from a salt marsh in New Jersey to two neighboring instrumental records at the Sandy Hook and Battery tide gauges. Eight overwash deposits were identified within the marsh's stratigraphy by their fan‐shaped morphology and coarser mean grain size (3.6 ± 0.7 φ) compared to autochthonous sediments they were embedded in (5.6 ± 0.8 φ). We used an age–depth model based on modern chronohorizons and three radiocarbon dates to provide age constraints for the overwash deposits. Seven of the overwash deposits were attributed to historical storms, including the youngest overwash deposit from Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The four youngest overwash deposits overlap with instrumental records. In contrast, the Sandy Hook and Battery tide gauges recorded eight and 11 extreme water levels above the 10% annual expected probability (AEP) of exceedance level, respectively, between 1932/1920 and the present. The geologic record in northern New Jersey, therefore, has a 36–50% preservation potential of capturing extreme water levels above the 10% AEP level.

Early Holocene occurrence of loess in Folldal, east-central southern Norway: Identification, origin and palaeoclimatic significance

Identified for the first time in Norway, windblown yellowish-brown dust in Folldal, east-central southern Norway, fulfils physical and geochemical criteria for sensu stricto loess, including a high carbonate content. Two extant and one relict marl pond located on low-carbonate rocks are investigated. An allochthonous origin for the marl ponds is suggested and explained by the deposition of suspended clastic carbonate as loess by aeolian processes. The scattered geographical distribution of loess and the need for a calcareous source area suggest a W-SW provenance from a relict valley sandur/existing flood plain in upper Grimsdalen. The mean grain size (~22.4 µm) of the aeolian silt is in the finer range of average loess, explained by the up to 25–30 km long transport and approximately 250–300 m airborne uphill move from the suggested source area to the marl ponds. Based on age-depth modelling using 9 AMS radiocarbon dates, loess deposition occurred from ca. 10,390 to 9780 cal. yr BP (610 years). Two prominent periods of loess accumulation occurred from ca. 10,390 to 10,190 (200 years) and ca. 10,020–9950 (70 years) cal. yr BP. Loess deposition results from W-SW wintertime winds in a dry to semi-arid climate. In southern Norway, W-SW winds in winter are associated with a positive mode of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). From source to deposition, the response time to erode, transport and accumulate loess is suggested to be seasonal to 1 year. An immediate increase in organic production followed loess deposition as early initiation of a warmer and wetter Holocene climatic optimum.

Holocene paleoceanographic variability in Robertson Bay, Ross Sea, Antarctica: A marine record of ocean, ice sheet, and climate connectivity

Accelerating ocean-driven basal melting of Antarctic ice shelves in recent decades has implications for sea level rise and global overturning circulation. Here, we reconstruct oceanographic conditions at the confluence of the Ross Sea and the Southern Ocean by analyzing a multi-proxy Holocene marine sedimentary record collected from Robertson Bay. A ramped pyrolysis oxidation radiocarbon age-depth model provides a timeline for glacial behavior and oceanographic changes over the last 6700 years. The diatom assemblage, magnetic susceptibility, grain size, total organic carbon and nitrogen, trace elements, and bulk δ13C are used as proxies for changing ocean and glacial conditions, which we interpret in the context of modern oceanographic measurements.Our record shows evidence of persistent ice cover in the northwestern Ross Sea during the Antarctic mid-Holocene climate optimum (ca. 5 cal kyr BP). Based on this observation, we suggest that meltwater and iceberg discharge associated with ice sheet retreat in the Ross Sea region altered local oceanography during the mid-Holocene. The onset of modern style oceanographic conditions in Robertson Bay occurred at ca. 4 cal kyr BP. Stable late Holocene conditions in are punctuated by a period of enhanced polynya activity and upwelling of nutrient rich Circumpolar Deep Water ca. 0.8 cal kyr BP and an increase in the seasonal duration of sea ice after 0.7 cal kyr BP, during the Little Ice Age. The response of the marine environment in Robertson Bay to mid-Holocene ice sheet retreat and natural climate variability during the last millennium underscores the sensitivity of the Antarctic ice-ocean interface to projected changes in coming decades.

Post-glacial small delta process uncovered by luminescence and radiocarbon chronology of core sediments from coastal South China Sea

Reliable chronology is crucial for reconstructing delta processes. The past decades witnessed a boost of dating works on the most economically influential large deltas (i.e., subaerial area >1000 km2), but chronology remains lacking on many small deltas (i.e., subaerial area <1000 km2) that are also densely populated and economically active. Luohe River Delta (LRD) in the coastal South China Sea is such a small delta, whose evolution concerns hundreds of thousands of people, and literally no reliable dating results have been reported to support research of its processes. Herein, dating work combining radiocarbon (14C) on mollusk shells and quartz Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) methods were performed on core LFZK06 from LRD, to test applicability of both methods by age comparison and to establish a chronological framework, using Bayesian age-depth models, of LRD for the first time. 14C ages are systematically c. 0.5–1 ka younger than OSL ages from the same depths. Such young bias of 14C ages in LRD contrasts with previously observed overestimated 14C results in the nearby Pearl River Delta (PRD), likely due to the distinction in bedrock types between Luohe River (granites and sandstones only) and Pearl River (limestone prevalence causing hardwater effect) drainages. Ages of core LFZK06 span from 57 ± 7 ka to 3.42 ± 0.05 cal ka BP and contain a hiatus between 57±7–11.9 ± 1.7 ka. Holocene deltaic sequence of the core shows three-stage sedimentary processes: (1) rapid deposition of prodelta/delta front sediments at 10.2‐0.4+0.5 ka–7.7‐0.3+0.4 ka related to rapid sea level rise, (2) hiatus during 7.7‐0.3+0.4 ka–5.7‐0.8+0.5 ka likely due to reduced sediments input or river channel migration, (3) rapid accumulation of delta plain sediments during 5.7‐0.8+0.5 ka–3.42‐0.85+0.42 ka reflecting depocenter shift toward core location. Moreover, changes of quartz OSL sensitivity were detected, indicative of sediment provenance transition. A change in sediment source from nearby granite weathering towards fluvial long-transported materials occurred at a depth of 24.7 m, with low quartz OSL sensitivity in the gravelly layer below (11.9 ± 1.7 ka) and one magnitude higher quartz OSL sensitivity in prodelta deposits above (10.2‐0.4+0.5 ka).

Postglacial vegetation and climate change in the Lake Onega region of eastern Fennoscandia derived from a radiocarbon-dated pollen record

With its numerous environmental archives stored in lake and peat sediments and relatively low human pressure, the Lake Onega region in eastern Fennoscandia is regarded as a particularly promising area for studying past changes in vegetation and climate since the Lateglacial period. The 885-cm-long sediment core RZ19 (62°27′53″N, 34°26′4″E) was collected from Razlomnoe Peat on the northern shore of Lake Onega in 2019, radiocarbon-dated and analysed for pollen and cryptogam spores. The age-depth model suggests continuous sedimentation since ca. 11,800 a BP (all ages given in years (a) or kiloyears (ka) before present (BP) with BP referring to 1950 CE). The results of pollen analysis and pollen-based biome reconstruction show rapid afforestation of the area in the Early Holocene, although the scores of the tundra biome remain relatively high prior to ca. 11,450 a BP, suggesting that the vegetation was likely more open than today. Between 8300 and 8000 a BP, Betula sect. Albae shows a marked increase in pollen percentage, while Pinus sylvestris experiences a marked decrease. These changes coinciding with the 8.2 ka BP cooling event indicate less favourable conditions for Scots pine while being beneficial for fast-growing birch. The transition from the Early to Middle Holocene (i.e. from Greenlandian to Northgrippian) is marked by an increase in pollen productivity, spread of Picea and further afforestation of the area. The decrease in arboreal and Picea pollen percentages and the abrupt increase in landscape openness after ca. 4000 a BP mark the onset of the Late Holocene (i.e. Northgrippian-Meghalayan transition) and likely reflect the combined effect of insolation-induced temperature decrease and associated paludification and forest retreat rather than a decrease in atmospheric precipitation and/or spread of Late Neolithic agriculture.