Low 10Be Research Articles

Simultaneous preconcentration of 9Be and cosmogenic 10Be for determination of the 10Be/9Be ratio in (coastal) seawater

AbstractBeryllium isotopes have emerged as a quantitative tracer of continental weathering, but accurate and precise determination of the cosmogenic 10Be and stable 9Be in seawater is challenging, because seawater contains high concentrations of matrix elements but extremely low concentrations of 9Be and 10Be. In this study, we develop a new, time‐efficient procedure for the simultaneous preconcentration of 9Be and 10Be from (coastal) seawater based on the iron co‐precipitation method. The concentrations of 9Be, 10Be, and the resulting 10Be/9Be ratio for Changjiang Estuary water derived from the new procedure agree well with those obtained from the conventional procedure requiring separate preconcentration for 9Be and 10Be determinations. By avoiding the separate preconcentration, our newly developed procedure contributes toward more time‐efficient handling of samples, less sample cross‐contamination, and a more reliable 10Be/9Be ratio. Prior to this, we validated the iron co‐precipitation method using artificial seawater and natural water samples from the Amazon Estuary regarding: (1) the “matrix effect” for Be analysis, (2) its extraction efficiency for pg g−1 levels Be in the presence and absence of organic matter, and (3) the data comparability with another preconcentration method. We calculated that for the determination of 9Be and 10Be in most open ocean seawater with typical 10Be concentrations of > 500 atoms g−1, good precisions (< 5%) can be achieved using less than 3 liters of seawater compared to more than 20 liters routinely used previously. Even for coastal seawater with extremely low 10Be concentration (e.g., 100 atoms g−1), we estimate a maximum amount of 10 liters to be adequate.

Cosmogenic 10Be in pyroxene: laboratory progress, production rate systematics, and application of the 10Be–3He nuclide pair in the Antarctic Dry Valleys

Abstract. Here, we present cosmogenic-10Be and cosmogenic-3He data from Ferrar dolerite pyroxenes in surficial rock samples and a bedrock core from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, with the goal of refining the laboratory methods for extracting beryllium from pyroxene, further estimating the 10Be production rate in pyroxene and demonstrating the applicability of 10Be–3He in mafic rock. The ability to routinely measure cosmogenic 10Be in pyroxene will open new opportunities for quantifying exposure durations and Earth surface processes in mafic rocks. We describe scalable laboratory methods for isolating beryllium from pyroxene, which include a simple hydrofluoric acid leaching procedure for removing meteoric 10Be and the addition of a pH 8 precipitation step to reduce the cation load prior to ion exchange chromatography. 10Be measurements in pyroxene from the surface samples have apparent 3He exposure ages of 1–6 Myr. We estimate a spallation production rate for 10Be in pyroxene, referenced to 3He, of 3.6 ± 0.2 atoms g−1 yr−1. 10Be and 3He measurements in the bedrock core yield initial estimates for parameters associated with 10Be and 3He production by negative-muon capture (f10∗=0.00183 and f3∗fCfD=0.00337). Next, we demonstrate that the 10Be–3He pair in pyroxene can be used to simultaneously resolve erosion rates and exposure ages, finding that the measured cosmogenic-nuclide concentrations in our surface samples are best explained by 2–8 Myr of exposure at erosion rates of 0–35 cm Myr−1. Finally, given the low 10Be in our laboratory blanks (average of 5.7 × 103 atoms), the reported measurement precision, and our estimated production rate, it should be possible to measure 2 g samples with 10Be concentrations of 6 × 104 and 1.5 × 104 atoms g−1 with 5 % and 15 % uncertainty, respectively. With this level of precision, Last Glacial Maximum to Late Holocene surfaces can now be dated with 10Be in pyroxene. Application of 10Be in pyroxene, alone or in combination with 3He, will expand possibilities for investigating glacial histories and landscape change in mafic rock.

Lithological control on topographic relief evolution in a slow tectonic setting (Anti-Atlas, Morocco)

Topographic relief results from the complex interactions between tectonics and erosional surface processes, which are primarily mediated by bedrock erodibility and climatic conditions. Ancient orogens offer a favourable setting to isolate the contribution of lithology, as tectonically driven rock uplift is typically negligible and rock strength variability can exert a critical role on the evolution of the topography. The Anti-Atlas in NW Africa is a late Paleozoic orogen comprising a well-preserved, elevated, relict landscape delimited by non-lithological knickpoints, that was uplifted during a regional late Cenozoic phase of topographic rejuvenation. Here, we combine a geomorphic analysis with 10Be-derived denudation rates to quantify bedrock erodibility and get insight into the surface evolution of the Anti-Atlas and the adjacent Siroua Massif. Specifically, we show that 10Be basin-wide denudation rates for the relict landscape are rather uniform and range from 5 to 12 m/Myr. These rates agree with long-term rates estimated from different methods suggesting that the relict topography archives erosional quasi-erosional steady-state conditions at least since the latest Cretaceous. The uniformly low 10Be denudation rates in the relict topography are consistent despite the variability in channel steepness and topographic relief that correlates with changes in rock type. The expansion of this analysis to the denudation rates of the downstream portion of the landscape, allows to demonstrate a linear relationship between denudation and channel steepness for catchments draining quartz bearing lithologies. This provides the chance to constrain a narrow range of bedrock erodibility values for different rock-types (quartzite, granitic and sedimentary rocks). These values are comparable with estimates from other slowly deforming settings. Specifically, our compilation from tectonically inactive to slow tectonic regions indicates that bedrock erodibility does not change significantly across different climatic zones and precipitation regimes. This highlights the critical role of lithology in controlling the production of topographic relief in post-orogenic/slow tectonic settings. Finally, we calculate the predicted denudation rates for the steeper portions of the landscape that adjusted to the new uplift rates based on the linear correlation between erosion rates and normalized steepness indices. These rates range from 20 to 50 m/Myr and agree with the direct measurements from two catchments.

Spatio-temporal variability and controlling factors for postglacial denudation rates in the Dora Baltea catchment (western Italian Alps)

Abstract. Disentangling the influence of lithology from the respective roles of climate, topography and tectonic forcing on catchment denudation is often challenging in mountainous landscapes due to the diversity of geomorphic processes in action and of spatial and temporal scales involved. The Dora Baltea catchment (western Italian Alps) is an ideal setting for such investigation, since its large drainage system, extending from the Mont Blanc Massif to the Po Plain, cuts across different major lithotectonic units of the western Alps, whereas this region has experienced relatively homogeneous climatic conditions and glacial history throughout the Quaternary. We acquired new 10Be-derived catchment-wide denudation rates from 18 river-sand samples collected both along the main Dora Baltea river and at the outlet of its main tributaries. The inferred denudation rates vary between 0.2 and 0.9 mm yr−1, consistent with previously published values across the European Alps. Spatial variability in denudation rates was statistically compared with topographic, environmental and geological metrics. 10Be-derived denudation rates do not correlate with modern precipitation and rock geodetic uplift. We find, rather, that catchment topography, in turn conditioned by bedrock structures and erodibility (lithotectonic origin) and glacial overprint, is the main driver of 10Be-derived denudation patterns. We calculated the highest denudation rate for the Mont Blanc Massif, whose granitoid rocks and long-term tectonic uplift support high elevations, steep slopes and high relief and thus favour intense glacial and periglacial processes and recurring rockfall events. Finally, our results, in agreement with modern sediment budgets, demonstrate that the high sediment input from the Mont Blanc catchment dominates the Dora Baltea sediment flux, explaining the constant low 10Be concentrations measured along the Dora Baltea course even downstream the multiple junctions with tributary catchments.

Production rate variation and changes in sedimentation rate of marine core dated with meteoric 10Be and 14C

The first measurement of meteoric beryllium-10 (10Be) using Accelerator Mass Spectrometer (AMS) is reported from PRL-AURiS (Physical Research Laboratory-Accelerator Unit for Radioisotope Studies). Strategically, the meteoric 10Be dating method can date events as old as 10 Myr, and its accuracy while dating marine sediment cores has been well tested with magnetic methods. An attempt is made for a comparative study between radiocarbon (14C) and meteoric 10Be dating methods from a 6 m long sediment core collected from the equatorial Indian Ocean. The core was dated using both radiocarbon and meteoric 10Be and results showed remarkable similarity for both methods in terms of the sedimentation rate. A continuous age offset observed within 50 kyr could be due to a continuous influx of sediment with low 10Be content and that may have caused the meteoric 10Be ages to be younger. The sedimentation rate calculated by changing the 10Be depositional flux rate from 1.5 to 2.5 × 10−2 atoms.cm−2.s−1 shows large variation, indicating the choice of appropriate 10Be depositional flux rate for the region. Additionally, being the first meteoric beryllium-10 measurements using AURiS, we have also discussed and reported the laboratory protocols and efficiency based on repeat standard and blank measurements.

Reduced sediment supply in a fast eroding landscape? A multi-proxy sediment budget of the upper Rhône basin, Central Alps

Alpine water and sediment supply influence the sediment budget of many important European fluvial systems such as the Rhine, Rhône and Po rivers. In the light of human induced climate change and landscape modification, it becomes increasingly important to understand the mechanisms of sediment production and supply in Alpine sediment systems. This study aims to investigate the modern sediment budget of the upper Rhône basin, one of the largest Alpine intramontane watersheds, located in the Central Alps of southwestern Switzerland. Major areas of sediment generation are fingerprinted by framework petrography, heavy mineral concentrations and bulk geochemistry. The relative contributions of the three major sources to the sediment of the trunk Rhône river are identified by compositional mixing modelling. Concentrations of the terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide 10Be measured in quartz separated from fluvial sediments provide spatially averaged denudation rates for selected tributary basins. Results from sediment fingerprinting and mixing modelling suggest that tributaries located in the North and the East of the catchment are generating most of the sediment transported by the Rhône river to its primary sedimentary sink in Lake Geneva. Despite having some of the highest denudation rates within the basin, tributaries located in the southern area of the Rhône basin are relatively underrepresented in the sediment budget of the Rhône river. These tributaries are severely affected by human activities, for example through sediment mining as well as water and sediment abstraction in large hydropower reservoirs. Together, these processes reduce the basin-wide sediment discharge by about 50%, thereby explaining most of the observed compositional pattern. In addition, there is evidence suggesting that large amounts of glaciogenic sediments are currently supplied by retreating glaciers. Glaciogenic material with its low 10Be concentrations can lead to a significant overestimation of denudation rates and thus limit the applicability of cosmogenic nuclide analysis in such glaciated settings.

<sup>10</sup>Be systematics in the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra catchment: the cosmogenic nuclide legacy of the eastern Himalayan syntaxis

Abstract. The Tsangpo-Brahmaputra River drains the eastern part of the Himalayan range and flows from the Tibetan Plateau through the eastern Himalayan syntaxis downstream to the Indo-Gangetic floodplain and the Bay of Bengal. As such, it is a unique natural laboratory to study how denudation and sediment production processes are transferred to river detrital signals. In this study, we present a new 10Be data set to constrain denudation rates across the catchment and to quantify the impact of rapid erosion within the syntaxis region on cosmogenic nuclide budgets and signals. The measured 10Be denudation rates span around 2 orders of magnitude across individual catchments (ranging from 0.03 to > 4 mm yr−1) and sharply increase as the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra flows across the eastern Himalaya. The increase in denudation rates, however, occurs ∼ 150 km downstream of the Namche Barwa–Gyala Peri massif (NBGPm), an area which has been previously characterized by extremely high erosion and exhumation rates. We suggest that this downstream lag is mainly due to the physical abrasion of coarse-grained, low 10Be concentration, landslide material produced within the syntaxis that dilutes the upstream high-concentration 10Be flux from the Tibetan Plateau only after abrasion has transferred sediment to the studied sand fraction. A simple abrasion model produces typical lag distances of 50 to 150 km compatible with our observations. Abrasion effects reduce the spatial resolution over which denudation can be constrained in the eastern Himalayan syntaxis. In addition, we also highlight that denudation rate estimates are dependent on the sediment connectivity, storage, and quartz content of the upstream Tibetan Plateau part of the catchment, which tends to lead to an overestimation of downstream denudation rates. While no direct 10Be denudation measurements were made in the syntaxis, the dilution of the upstream 10Be signal, measured in Tsangpo-Brahmaputra sediments, provides constraints on the denudation rates in that region. These denudation estimates range from ca. 2 to 5 mm yr−1 for the entire syntaxis and ca. 4 to 28 mm yr−1 for the NBGPm, which is significantly higher than other large catchments. Overall, 10Be concentrations measured at the outlet of the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra in Bangladesh suggest a sediment flux between 780 and 1430 Mt yr−1 equivalent to a denudation rate between 0.7 and 1.2 mm yr−1 for the entire catchment.

Long-term erosion rates of Panamanian drainage basins determined using in situ 10Be

Erosion rates of tropical landscapes are poorly known. Using measurements of in situ-produced 10Be in quartz extracted from river and landslide sediment samples, we calculate long-term erosion rates for many physiographic regions of Panama. We collected river sediment samples from a wide variety of watersheds (n=35), and then quantified 24 landscape-scale variables (physiographic, climatic, seismic, geologic, and land-use proxies) for each watershed before determining the relationship between these variables and long-term erosion rates using linear regression, multiple regression, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). We also used grain-size-specific 10Be analysis to infer the effect of landslides on the concentration of 10Be in fluvial sediment and thus on erosion rates.Cosmogenic 10Be-inferred, background erosion rates in Panama range from 26 to 595mMy−1, with an arithmetic average of 201mMy−1, and an area-weighted average of 144mMy−1. The strongest and most significant relationship in the dataset was between erosion rate and silicate weathering rate, the mass of material leaving the basin in solution. None of the topographic variables showed a significant relationship with erosion rate at the 95% significance level; we observed weak but significant correlation between erosion rates and several climatic variables related to precipitation and temperature. On average, erosion rates in Panama are higher than other cosmogenically-derived erosion rates in tropical climates including those from Puerto Rico, Madagascar, Australia and Sri Lanka, likely the result of Panama's active tectonic setting and thus high rates of seismicity and uplift. Contemporary sediment yield and cosmogenically-derived erosion rates for three of the rivers we studied are similar, suggesting that human activities are not increasing sediment yield above long-term erosion rate averages in Panama.10Be concentration is inversely proportional to grain size in landslide and fluvial samples from Panama; finer grain sizes from landslide material have lower 10Be concentration than fine-grained fluvial sediment. Large grains from both landslide and stream sediments have similarly low 10Be concentrations. These data suggest that fluvial gravel is delivered to the channel by landslides whereas sand is preferentially delivered by soil creep and bank collapse. Furthermore, the difference in 10Be concentration in sand-sized material delivered by soil creep and that delivered by landsliding suggests that the frequency and intensity of landslides influence basin scale erosion rates.

Along‐strike structure of the Costa Rican convergent margin from seismic a refraction/reflection survey: Evidence for underplating beneath the inner forearc

AbstractThe convergent margin offshore Costa Rica shows evidence of subsidence due to subduction erosion along the outer forearc and relatively high rates of uplift (∼3–6 mm/yr) along the coast. Recently erupted arc lavas exhibit a low 10Be signal, suggesting that although nearly the entire package of incoming sediments enters the subduction zone, very little of that material is carried directly with the downgoing Cocos plate to the magma generating depths of the mantle wedge. One mechanism that would explain both the low 10Be and the coastal uplift is the underplating of sediments, tectonically eroded material, and seamounts beneath the inner forearc. We present results of a 320 km long, trench‐parallel seismic reflection and refraction study of the Costa Rican forearc. The primary observations are (1) margin perpendicular faulting of the basement, (2) thickening of the Cocos plate to the northwest, and (3) two weak bands of reflections in the multichannel seismic (MCS) reflection image with travel times similar to the top of the subducting Cocos plate. The modeled depths to these reflections are consistent with an ∼40 km long, 1–3 km thick region of underplated material ∼15 km beneath some of the highest observed coastal uplift rates in Costa Rica.

Spatial and temporal variations in meteoric 10Be inventories and long-term deposition rates, Colorado Front Range

Atmospherically-derived cosmogenic nuclides such as meteoric 10Be offer great potential in Quaternary science because they can be used as landform geochronometers and as sediment tracers. Use of meteoric 10Be inventories for determining landform age, soil residence time, or erosion rates requires knowing the long-term rate of deposition for this cosmogenic nuclide to the Earth's surface. Here, we present meteoric 10Be inventories measured at 6 dated sites near the Boulder Creek Critical Zone Observatory, Front Range, Colorado. Each site lies on a relatively stable landform (broad moraine or fluvial terrace) at slopes between <1 and 7° and supports well-developed soil horizons. Time-averaged rates of total meteoric 10Be deposition (precipitation, dryfall, and dust deposition) calculated from measured inventories at these sites range from 0.4 to 5.0 × 106 atoms cm−2 yr−1; none of the inventories match expected primary meteoric 10Be deposition rates that global, latitude-based models or precipitation-specific models predict for this region. Meteoric 10Be inventories and calculated deposition rates at the three older (>90 ka) sites fall below (0.3–0.7×) model predictions; inventories and rates at the three Pinedale-age sites (LGM; 21–15 ka) are higher (1.5–4×) than model predictions. Previous analysis of soils in the Front Range over the same timeframe as these sites indicate that long-term dust accumulation rates are low and associated secondary meteoric 10Be deposition is unlikely to account for the deviation from model predictions. At the Pinedale-age sites in particular, long-term dustfall would have to be 1–2 orders of magnitude higher to add the meteoric 10Be required to account for measured inventories. Low inventories at older sites are consistent with loss of meteoric 10Be through physical erosion or selective removal of near-surface soil enriched in meteoric 10Be; time-averaged rates of total meteoric 10Be deposition for these sites are minima. We speculate that higher inventories at Pinedale-age sites reflect the addition of meteoric 10Be due to snowdrifts and/or interflow associated with landform location, increasing the effective precipitation-related primary meteoric 10Be deposition at the sampled sites. Given these constraints, and the spatial variation observed around the Front Range, we suggest that 1.5 ± 0.2 × 106 atoms cm−2 yr−1 is an appropriate long-term meteoric 10Be deposition rate to use across much of the Front Range region that receives 45–55 cm of precipitation a year. This long-term total meteoric 10Be deposition rate is ∼30–50% higher than that predicted by global or annual precipitation-specific models, emphasizing that local calibration of deposition rates is essential for geomorphic studies around the globe.

Unraveling rift margin evolution and escarpment development ages along the Dead Sea fault using cosmogenic burial ages

The Dead Sea fault (DSF) is one of the most active plate boundaries in the world. Understanding the Quaternary history and sediments of the DSF requires investigation into the Neogene development of this plate boundary. DSF lateral motion preceded significant extension and rift morphology by ~10Ma. Sediments of the Sedom Formation, dated here between 5.0±0.5Ma and 6.2−2.1+infMa, yielded extremely low 10Be concentrations and 26Al is absent. These reflect the antiquity of the sediments, deposited in the Sedom Lagoon, which evolved in a subdued landscape and was connected to the Mediterranean Sea. The base of the overlying Amora Formation, deposited in the terminal Amora Lake which developed under increasing relief that promoted escarpment incision, was dated at 3.3−0.8+0.9Ma. Burial ages of fluvial sediments within caves (3.4±0.2Ma and 3.6±0.4Ma) represent the timing of initial incision. Initial DSF topography coincides with the earliest Red Sea MORB's and the East Anatolian fault initiation. These suggest a change in the relative Arabian–African plate motion. This change introduced the rifting component to the DSF followed by a significant subsidence, margin uplift, and a reorganization of relief and drainage pattern in the region resulting in the topographic framework observed today.

Ice-sheet erosion and the stripping of Tertiary regolith from Baffin Island, eastern Canadian Arctic

The erosion of glaciated regions and concomitant changes in ice sheet dynamics through the Pleistocene are poorly documented. The Baffin Island landscape, which has been shaped by the Foxe Sector of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS), contains a variety of glacial and proximal glaciomarine sedimentary archives spanning the Pleistocene. We examine these records to better understand when Tertiary regolith was stripped from beneath the Foxe Sector of the LIS. Till on the interior plateaux of the island in areas with scoured bedrock have low chemical index of alteration (CIA) values, low meteoric 10Be (10Bemet) concentrations, and clay mineralogy consistent with erosion from an unweathered bedrock source. However, in some areas in between fiord onset zones, more weathered till is present, containing considerably higher CIA values, high 10Bemet concentrations, and secondary clay mineral weathering products, implying that the till has persisted on the landscape and weathered during successive glaciations. Using these weathering signatures, we analyze the coastal glaciogenic deposits of the Clyde Foreland Formation (CFF) at two sites for evidence of Tertiary regolith removal from the interior of Baffin Island by LIS erosion. Provenance indicators within the CFF demonstrate that Pleistocene LIS ice flow lines across Baffin Island have remained generally constant. The oldest CFF glaciogenic unit, likely representing one of the first, if not the first, LIS advances across Baffin Island, had high 10Bemet concentrations at the time of deposition consistent with extensive regolith erosion. Evidence of notably weathered sediment is absent in all younger units, suggesting that Tertiary regolith was likely largely stripped from the interior of the island by 1.6 ± 0.2 Ma.

Investigation of the Dashigil mud volcano (Azerbaijan) using beryllium-10

We collected and analyzed five sediments from three mud volcano (MV) vents and six suspended and bottom sediment samples from the adjoining river near the Dashgil mud volcano in Azerbaijan for 10Be. These three MV are found among the 190 onshore and >150 offshore MV in this region which correspond to the western flank of the South Caspian depression. These MVs overlie the faulted and petroleum-bearing anticlines. The 10Be concentrations and 10Be/9Be ratios are comparable to the values reported for mud volcanoes in Trinidad Island. It appears that the stable Be concentrations in Azerbaijan rivers are not perturbed by anthropogenic effects and are comparable to the much older sediments (mud volcano samples). The 10Be and 9Be concentrations in our river sediments are compared to the global data set and show that the 10Be values found for Kura River are among the lowest of any river for which data exist. We attribute this low 10Be concentration to the nature of surface minerals which are affected by the residual hydrocarbon compounds that occur commonly in the study area in particular and Azerbaijan at large. The concentrations of 40K and U-Th-series radionuclides (234Th, 210Pb, 226Ra, and 228Ra) indicate overall homogeneity of the mud volcano samples from the three different sites. Based on the 10Be concentrations of the mud volcano samples, the age of the mud sediments could be at least as old as 4myr.

Glaciation history of Queen Maud Land (Antarctica) reconstructed from in-situ produced cosmogenic 10Be, 26Al and 21Ne

We present for the first time rock exposure ages primarily for the Wohlthat Massiv/Queen Maud Land, Antarctica, determined from 54 quartz rich samples via in-situ produced 10Be (T 1/2 = 1.51 Ma) and 26Al (T 1/2 = 0.7 Ma) using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Measured radionuclide concentrations vary from extremely low values up to saturation. For a scenario with extremely low erosion and minimal tectonic uplift 10Be and 26Al surface exposure ages are generally in good agreement. Long exposure ages up to >8 Ma were confirmed by measurement of stable 21Ne using noble gas mass spectrometry. Our data suggest that the regional highest mountain peaks had risen above the ice surface at least 1–4 Ma ago. Notwithstanding a 200–400 m higher ice sheet elevation persisted in the Wohlthat Massiv/Queen Maud Land until about 0.5 Ma ago. In our interpretation, the successive thinning of the ice sheet was probably in response to global cooling and less annual precipitation since the Pliocene. Our results are in line with published ice sheet modelling results predicting only modest changes in ice thickness in Queen Maud Land during the “warmer” Pliocene and during the transition to the “cooler” present. Low-level changes occurred during the last glacial maximum, but only affected the region located close to the present shelf ice. As the extremely low erosion rates (<5 cm Ma −1) inferred for several samples can only exist under extremely cold and hyperarid conditions, we exclude a scenario featuring a prolonged period with warm and humid climatic conditions within the last 8 Ma. Our data do not support the notion of a temporary large scale retreat of the East Antarctic ice sheet during a suspected warming episode in the Pliocene.

Challenges and opportunities in high-precision Be-10 measurements at CAMS

We determined the overall efficiency for 10Be of the high-intensity LLNL modified Middleton cesium sputter source in combination with the CAMS FN mass spectrometer. BeO − ionization efficiency is >3%. Charge exchange efficiency including transmission through the tandem for 7.5 MeV Be +3 is ∼34%, resulting in a total system efficiency of just over 1%. At this efficiency and with very low backgrounds, we estimate our detection limit to be ∼1000 10Be atoms. Cathodes prepared with only ∼80 μg of 9Be show only an ∼33% reduction in 9Be beam current compared to a sample with ∼200 μg. These same samples, prepared from 07KNSTD1032 standard material, contained 1 × 10 7 and 5 × 10 6 10Be atoms and exhibited similar ionization and total system efficiency. These results demonstrate the feasibility of pursuing applications that require precise measurement of samples with low 10Be concentrations and/or small sample size.

The dissolved Beryllium isotope composition of the Arctic Ocean

We present the first comprehensive set of dissolved 10Be and 9Be concentrations in surface waters and vertical profiles of all major sub-basins of the Arctic Ocean, which are complemented by data from the major Arctic rivers Mackenzie, Lena, Yenisey and Ob. The results show that 10Be and 9Be concentrations in waters below 150 m depth are low and only vary within a factor of 2 throughout the Arctic Basin (350–750 atoms/g and 9–15 pmol/kg, respectively). In marked contrast, Be isotope compositions in the upper 150 m are highly variable and show systematic variations. Cosmogenic 10Be concentrations range from 150 to 1000 atoms/g and concentrations of terrigenous 9Be range from 7 to 65 pmol/kg, resulting in 10Be/ 9Be ratios (atom/atom) between 0.5 and 14 × 10 −8. Inflowing Atlantic water masses in the Eurasian Basin are characterized by a 10Be/ 9Be signature of 7 × 10 −8. The inflow of Pacific water masses across the Bering Strait is characterized by lower ratios of 2–3 × 10 −8, which can be traced into the central Arctic Ocean, possibly as far as the Fram Strait. A comparison of the high dissolved surface 10Be and 9Be concentrations (corresponding to low 10Be/ 9Be signatures of ∼2 × 10 −8) in the Eurasian Basin with hydrographic parameters and river data documents efficient and rapid transport of Be with Siberian river waters across the Siberian Arctic shelves into the central Arctic Basin, although significant loss and exchange of Be on the shelves occurs. In contrast, fresh surface waters from the Canada Basin also show high cosmogenic 10Be contents, but are not enriched in terrigenous 9Be (resulting in high 10Be/ 9Be signatures of up to 14 × 10 −8). This is explained by a combination of efficient scavenging of Be in the Mackenzie River estuary and the shelves and additional supply of cosmogenic 10Be via atmospheric fallout and melting of old sea ice. The residence time of Be in the deep Arctic Ocean estimated from our data is 800 years and thus similar to the average Be residence time in the global ocean.

The complex exposure history of the Jiddat al Harasis 073 L‐chondrite shower

Abstract— We measured the concentrations and isotopic compositions of He, Ne, and Ar in 29 bulk samples from 11 different strewn field fragments of the large Jiddat al Harasis (JaH) 073 L6 chondrite shower, including 7 samples from known locations within the main mass. In addition, we measured the concentrations of cosmogenic 10Be, 26Al, 36Cl, and 41Ca in 10 samples. All fragments of this shower are characterized by low 10Be concentrations (7.6–12.8 dpm/kg), high 26Al/10Be ratios (3.5‐5), large contributions of neutron capture 41Ca (200–1800 dpm/kgCa), low 3He/21Ne ratios (1.5‐3.0), large variations in cosmogenic 21Ne (1.2–12) × 10−8cm3STP/g, and significant contributions of neutron‐capture 36Ar. Stepwise heating experiments show that neutron‐capture produced 36Ar is predominantly released between 1000–1200 °C. All these results are consistent with a first‐stage exposure of ˜65 Ma within ˜20 cm of the surface of the L‐chondrite parent body, followed by ejection of a 1.5‐2 m large object, which was then delivered to Earth within about 0.5 and 0.7 Ma. The cosmogenic nuclide data in JaH 073 thus corroborate the trend that many of the large chondrites studied so far experienced a complex exposure history. The observed 3He/21Ne ratios of 2.5‐3.0 in the most shielded samples (including those of the main mass) are lower than predicted by model calculations, but similar to the lowest values found in the large Gold Basin L‐chondrite shower. The Bern plot, which gives a linear correlation for 3He/21Ne versus 22Ne/21Ne, is evidently not valid for very high shielding. Some of our measured 22Ne/21Ne ratios in JaH 073 are lower than 1.06, which is not well understood, but might be explained by loss of cosmogenic neon from shocked sodium‐rich plagioclase during terrestrial weathering. The amount of trapped atmospheric argon in the JaH 073 fragments varies by almost two orders of magnitude and shows only a weak correlation with the size of the fragments, which range from &lt;100 g to &gt;50 kg. Finally, low concentrations of radiogenic 4He and 40Ar indicate incomplete degassing &lt; 1 Ga ago, probably at the main collision event on the L‐chondrite parent body ˜480 Ma ago.

Towards more precise 10Be and 36Cl data from measurements at the 10 −14 level: Influence of sample preparation

The spreading application of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) to the geosciences will require measurement of increasing numbers of samples with low 10Be/ 9Be and 36Cl/Cl isotopic ratios. To distinguish radionuclide concentrations in samples from corresponding processing blanks, samples must be prepared using stable isotope carriers with low intrinsic radionuclide concentrations. Measurements at different AMS facilities have shown that commercially available 9Be carriers rarely meet these requirements and use of 9Be carriers prepared from Be-containing minerals such as Be 2SiO 4 is advisable. For precise determinations at the low 10 −14 level, samples need to produce the highest 9Be currents possible. Measurements performed at the two AMS facilities in France show that mixing BeO with Nb powder generally yields higher 9Be currents than mixing with Ag powder. Contamination of BeO by other elements such as Ti or Al will reduce the current by a simple dilution effect, thus limiting the statistical precision with which 10Be can be determined. In the case of 36Cl analyses, repeated water-leaching of calcite samples sufficiently removes all atmospheric 36Cl contamination, allowing determination of terrestrial cosmogenic in situ produced 36Cl concentrations for surface exposure dating.

The volatile content of magmas from Arenal volcano, Costa Rica

We provide the first direct measurements of water in mafic melts from Arenal volcano, Costa Rica. Ion microprobe analyses of olivine-hosted melt inclusions (MI) from the prehistoric ET3 (AR-19) and ET6 (AR-16) tephra layers reveal high concentrations of volatile species: ∼ 1–4 wt.% H 2O, 50–300 ppm CO 2, and > 3000 ppm S and Cl. The MI with the highest water concentrations are the most mafic, and the dataset as a whole records a history of degassing coupled with fractionation and ascent from ∼ 2 kbar to 0.2 kbar. Arenal MI form two groups based on their Al, CO 2 and S contents. The ET3 high-Al MI were trapped at the highest pressure, are closest to equilibrium with their host olivines (∼ Fo 79), which are closest to equilibrium with the bulk-rock liquid. These MI are excellent candidates for Arenal parental liquids, and can generate most Arenal volcanic rock compositions by crystal accumulation (up to 30%), or crystal fractionation at a range of pressure (0.5–3 kb) and H 2O contents (0.5–3.5 wt.%). The new sulfur data reported here predict total sulfur output over the past ∼ 30 years from bulk basaltic andesite liquid that matches well spectroscopic estimates, and resolves the previously noted imbalance. MI from different ET3 and ET6 samples show different F/Cl, while most trace element ratios show a limited range similar to that of the host rocks. The high water content (4 wt.% H 2O) of Arenal basaltic magma is somewhat surprising given the weak subduction signal recorded geochemically (e.g., low 10Be and B). The Arenal MI data contribute to a positive correlation between primary water contents and Ba/La in Central American volcanoes, although further testing is required given the small number of data points, and the expectation that water and trace elements should have different sources in the subduction zone.

Fast rates of subduction erosion along the Costa Rica Pacific margin: Implications for nonsteady rates of crustal recycling at subduction zones

At least since the middle Miocene (∼16 Ma), subduction erosion has been the dominant process controlling the tectonic evolution of the Pacific margin of Costa Rica. Ocean Drilling Program Site 1042 recovered 16.5 Ma nearshore sediment at ∼3.9 km depth, ∼7 km landward of the trench axis. The overlying Miocene to Quaternary sediment contains benthic foraminifera documenting margin subsidence from upper bathyal (∼200 m) to abyssal (∼2000 m) depth. The rate of subsidence was low during the early to middle Miocene but increased sharply in the late Miocene‐early Pliocene (5–6.5 Ma) and at the Pliocene‐Pleistocene boundary (2.4 Ma). Foraminifera data, bedding dip, and the geometry of slope sediment indicate that tilting of the forearc occurred coincident with the onset of rapid late Miocene subsidence. Seismic images show that normal faulting is widespread across the continental slope; however, extension by faulting only accounts for a minor amount of the post‐6.5 Ma subsidence. Basal tectonic erosion is invoked to explain the subsidence. The short‐term rate of removal of rock from the forearc is about 107–123 km3 Myr−1 km−1. Mass removal is a nonsteady state process affecting the chemical balance of the arc: the ocean sediment input, with the short‐term erosion rate, is a factor of 10 smaller than the eroded mass input. The low 10Be concentration in the volcanic arc of Costa Rica could be explained by dilution with eroded material. The late Miocene onset of rapid subsidence is coeval with the arrival of the Cocos Ridge at the subduction zone. The underthrusting of thick and thermally younger ocean crust decreased the subduction angle of the slab along a large segment of the margin and changed the dynamic equilibrium of the margin taper. This process may have induced the increase in the rate of subduction erosion and thus the recycling of crustal material to the mantle.