Genetic implications of new lead isotope measurements on Schwarzwald vein and Upper Triassic sediment galenas

We report the results of a lead isotopic investigation of galena from vein deposits from the Southern Schwarzwald (33 samples) and from various localities (6) from the galena horizon of the South German Keuper. The total range of isotopic ratios for the veins and the Keuper leads is:18,29 <²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 18,97; 15,59 <²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 15,70; 38,42 <²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 38,90. The lead isotopic systems give anomalous ages when compared with lead evolution models ofHolmes (1946, 47)Houtermans (1946),Stacey &Kramers (1975) andCumming &Richards (1975). This indicates a more complex lead evolution than allowed for in these models.Small but significant variations in the isotopic ratios of lead were observed in galenas from within a number of veins and between veins. Also leads in galena from Hercynian veins within granitic host rocks in the Southern Schwarzwald were found to be more radiogenic than galena leads in veins found in gneisses in the Central Schwarzwald. These results strongly suggest a local influence on the lead isotopic compositions of the vein galenas and also place constraints on the age of the veins and models of vein formation.Galenas from Tertiary veins were found to have lower²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios in comparison with ratios observed in Hercynian vein leads, suggesting that the Tertiary veins contain a compound of older retarded lead from a source not identified in the present study.The Keuper sedimentary galenas were found to have relatively homogenous lead isotopic ratios which fall within the range of isotopic compositions of the Hercynian vein leads. The galenas from the Upper Triassic (Keuper) are slightly more radiogenic than the more isotopically variable galena leads from the uppermost Permian (Kupferschiefer;Wedepohl et al. 1978).

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Zusammenfassung An Bleiglanzen von Gängen des mittleren und südlichen Schwarzwaldes (33 Proben) und von verschiedenen Lokalitäten (6) der Bleiglanzbank des süddeutschen Keupers wurden massenspektrometrische Blei-Isotopen-Untersuchungen durchgeführt.Die Werte fallen in die Bereiche: 18,29 <²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 18,97; 15,59 <²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 15,70; 38,42 <²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 38,90. Aus den Blei-Isotopenverhältnissen erhält man anomale Blei-Entwicklungsalter, wenn man die Modellevon Holmes (1946, 47),Houtermans (1946),Stacey &Kramers (1975) undCumming &Richards (1975) zugrunde legt. Das zeigt, daß die Entwicklung dieses Bleis komplexer ablief, als die genannten Modelle annehmen.Kleine aber signifikante Unterschiede in der Blei-Isotopenzusammensetzung wurden für Proben eines Gangsystems und zwischen den verschiedenen Gängen beobachtet. Das Blei aus Bleiglanzen von variscischen Gängen des St. Blasien-Granits (Südostschwarzwald) ist radiogener als das der Gänge in den Gneisen des Zentral-Schwarzwaldes. Diese Beobachtung zeigt, daß die Blei-Isotopenwerte mit der lokalen geologischen Situation verknüpft sind und ist von Bedeutung für die Diskussion der Alter und Entstehungs-modelle der Bleiglanze.Bleiglanz aus den als Tertiär angesehenen Gängen zeigt niedere²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴-Verhältnisse als die variscischen Gang-Bleiglanze. Daraus kann man auf eine ältere zurückgebliebene Bleikomponente schließen, deren Quelle jedoch noch nicht gefunden wurde. Die Bleiglanze aus der Keuper-Bleiglanzbank ergaben relativ einheitliche Isotopenverhältnisse, welche in die Verteilung der Schwarzwälder Bleie fallen. Sie sind etwas radiogener als die isotopisch sehr variablen Bleiglanz-Isotopenwerte des Zechsteins (Kupferschiefer;Wedepohl et al. 1978).

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Résumé Une étude isotopique du plomb a été effectué sur des galènes provenant de filons de la Forêt Noire Centrale et du Sud (33 échantillons) et de différentes localités (6) de l'horizon à galène du Keuper du Sud de l'Allemagne.Les valeurs de plomb se situent dans les intervalles suivants: 18,29 <²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 18,97; 15,59 <²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 15,70; 38,42 <²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 38,90.Les rapports isotopiques du plomb indiquent des âges d'évolution de plomb anormaux, si l'on prend pour base les modèles d'évolution deHolmes (1946, 47),Houtermans (1946),Stacey &Kramers (1975) etCumming &Richards (1975). Cela montre que l'évolution du plomb s'est déroulée d'une façon plus complexe que ne le supposent les modèles mentionnés. Des différences minimes mais significatives ont été observées dans la composition isotopique du plomb, pour des échantillons d'un système filonien et entre différents filons. Le plomb des galènes des filons hercyniens du granite de St. Blasien (Forêt Noire du Sud Est) est plus radiogénique que celui des filons trouvés dans les gneiss de la Forêt Noire Centrale. Cette observation montre que la composition isotopique du plomb est liée à la situation géographique locale et est d'une grande importance pour la discussion des âges et des modèles de formation des galènes.Les rapports²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb des galènes des filons considérés comme d'âge tertiaire sont moins élevés que ceux des galènes d'âge hercynien, ce qui permet de supposer une composante de plomb plus âgée, «retardée» dont on n'a pu jusqu'ici déceler la source. Le plomb des galènes du Keuper a une composition isotopique relativement homogène, qui se trouve dans la gamme de celle observée pour le plomb des galènes de la Forêt Noire. Leur plomb est légèrement plus radiogénique que celui des galènes du Zechstein qui a une composition isotopique très variable (Kupferschiefer;Wedepohl et al., 1978).

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— (33 ) (6 ) - . : 18,29 <²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 18,97; 15,59 <²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 15,70; 38,42 <²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 38,90. , Holmes'a, 1946; Houterman'a, 1946, Stacey & Kramer'a, 1975 Cumming & Richard'a, 1975, . , , , ., , . St. Blasien (- ) , . , , . ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, . , . , . , , .

     

An update on dynamical changes in the Arctic and Antarctic stratospheric polar vortices

Dynamical changes in the Arctic and Antarctic lower stratosphere from autumn to spring were analysed using the NCEP/NCAR, ERA40 and FUB stratospheric analyses for three periods: 1979–1999, 1979–2005, and 1965–2005. We found a weakening of the Arctic vortex in winter and a strengthening in spring between 1979/1980 and 1998/1999, with corresponding changes in the zonal mean circulation. The vortex formed earlier in autumn and broke down later in spring. These changes however were statistically not significant due to the high interannual dynamical variability in northern hemisphere (NH) winter and spring and the relatively short time series. In the Antarctic, the vortex formed earlier in autumn, intensified in late spring, and broke down later. The changes of the Antarctic vortex were at all levels and for both autumn and spring transitions larger and more significant than the changes of the Arctic vortex. These changes of the 1980s and early to mid 1990s were however not representative of a long-term change. The dynamically more active winters in the Arctic and Antarctic since 1998/1999 led to an enhanced weakening of the polar vortex in winter, and to a reduction of the polar vortex intensification in spring. As two of the recent Arctic major warmings occurred rather early in winter the polar vortex could recover in late winter and the delay in spring breakdown further increased. In contrast, the increase in Antarctic vortex persistence did no longer appear when including the recent winters due to the dominant impact of the three recent dynamically active Antarctic winters in 2000, 2002, and 2004. The long-term changes of 1965/1966–2005 were smaller in amplitude and partly opposite to the trends since the 1980s. There is no significant long-term change in the Arctic vortex lifetime or spring persistence, while the Antarctic vortex shows a long-term deepening and shift towards later spring transitions. The changes in the stratospheric dynamical situation could be attributed in both hemispheres to changes in the dynamical forcing from the troposphere.     

An ostracod-conductivity transfer function for Tibetan lakes

About 145 freshwater to hypersaline lakes of the eastern Tibetan Plateau were investigated to develop a transfer function for quantitative palaeoenvironmental reconstructions using ostracods. A total of 100 lakes provided sufficient numbers of ostracod shells. Multivariate statistical techniques were used to analyse the influence of a number of environmental variables on the distributions of surface sediment ostracod assemblages. Of 23 variables determined for each site, 19 were included in the statistical analysis. Lake water electrical conductivity (8.2%), Ca% (7.6%) and Fe% (4.8%, ion concentrations as % of the cations) explained the greatest amounts of variation in the distribution of ostracod taxa among the 100 lakes. Electrical conductivity optima and tolerances were calculated for abundant taxa. A transfer function, based on weighted averaging partial least squares regression (WA-PLS), was developed for electrical conductivity (r ² = 0.71, root-mean-square-error of prediction [RMSEP] = 0.35 [12.4% of gradient length], maximum bias = 0.64 [22.4% of gradient length], as assessed by leave-one-out cross-validation) based on 96 lakes. Our results show that ostracods provide reliable estimates of electrical conductivity and can be used for quantitative palaeoenvironmental reconstructions similarly to more commonly used diatom, chironomid or pollen data.     

Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research Bibliographic Review 2019

This bibliographic review gives an outline of publications in 2019 focusing on reference materials (RMs) used in geochemistry and related fields, such as palaeoclimate and environmental research.     

Late Pleistocene to Holocene vegetation and climate changes in northwestern Chukotka (Far East Russia) deduced from lakes Ilirney and Rauchuagytgyn pollen records

This paper presents two new pollen records and quantitative climate reconstructions from northern Chukotka documenting environmental changes over the last 27.9 ka. Open tundra- and steppe-like habitats dominated between 27.9 and 18.7 cal. ka BP. Betula and Alnus shrubs might have grown in sheltered microhabitats but disappeared after 18.7 cal. ka BP. Although the climate was rather harsh, local herb-dominated communities supported herbivores as is evident by the presence of coprophilous spores in the sediments. The increase in Salix and Cyperaceae ~16.1 cal. ka BP suggests climate amelioration. Shrub Betula appeared ~15.9 cal. ka BP, and became dominant after ~15.52 cal. ka BP, whilst typical steppe communities drastically reduced. Very high presence of Botryococcus in the Lateglacial sediments reflects widespread shallow habitats, probably due to lake level increase. Shrub Alnus became common after ~13 cal. ka BP reflecting further climate amelioration. Simultaneously, herb communities gradually decreased in the vegetation reaching a minimum ~11.8 cal. ka BP. A gradual decrease of algae remains suggests a reduction of shallow-water habitats. Shrubby and graminoid tundra was dominant ~11.8–11.1 cal. ka BP, later Salix stands significantly decreased. The forest-tundra ecotone established in the Early Holocene, shortly after 11.1 cal. ka BP. Low contents of green algae in the Early Holocene sediments likely reflect deeper aquatic conditions. The most favourable climate conditions were between ~10.6 and 7 cal. ka BP. Vegetation became similar to the modern after ~7 cal. ka BP but Pinus pumila came to the Ilirney area at about 1.2 cal. ka BP. It is important to emphasize that the study area provided refugia for Betula and Alnus during MIS 2. It is also notable that our records do not reflect evidence of Younger Dryas cooling, which is inconsistent with some regional environmental records but in good accordance with some others.     

Antarctic shallow water benthos in an area of recent rapid glacier retreat

The West Antarctic Peninsula is one of the fastest warming regions on Earth. Faster glacier retreat and related calving events lead to more frequent iceberg scouring, fresh water input and higher sediment loads, which in turn affect shallow water benthic marine assemblages in coastal regions. In addition, ice retreat creates new benthic substrates for colonization. We investigated three size classes of benthic biota (microbenthos, meiofauna and macrofauna) at three sites in Potter Cove (King George Island, West Antarctic Peninsula) situated at similar water depths but experiencing different disturbance regimes related to glacier retreat. Our results revealed the presence of a patchy distribution of highly divergent benthic assemblages within a relatively small area (about 1 km²). In areas with frequent ice scouring and higher sediment accumulation rates, an assemblage mainly dominated by macrobenthic scavengers (such as the polychaete Barrukia cristata), vagile organisms and younger individuals of sessile species (such as the bivalve Yoldia eightsi) was found. Macrofauna were low in abundance and very patchily distributed in recently ice‐free areas close to the glacier, whereas the pioneer nematode genus Microlaimus reached a higher relative abundance in these newly exposed sites. The most diverse and abundant macrofaunal assemblage was found in areas most remote from recent glacier influence. By contrast, the meiofauna showed relatively low densities in these areas. The three benthic size classes appeared to respond in different ways to disturbances likely related to ice retreat, suggesting that the capacity to adapt and colonize habitats is dependent on both body size and specific life traits. We predict that, under continued deglaciation, more diverse, but less patchy, benthic assemblages will become established in areas out of reach of glacier‐related disturbance.     

Hf-W mineral isochron for Ca,Al-rich inclusions: Age of the solar system and the timing of core formation in planetesimals

Application of ¹⁸²Hf-¹⁸²W chronometry to constrain the duration of early solar system processes requires the precise knowledge of the initial Hf and W isotope compositions of the solar system. To determine these values, we investigated the Hf-W isotopic systematics of bulk samples and mineral separates from several Ca,Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) from the CV3 chondrites Allende and NWA 2364. Most of the investigated CAIs have relative proportions of ¹⁸³W, ¹⁸⁴W, and ¹⁸⁶W that are indistinguishable from those of bulk chondrites and the terrestrial standard. In contrast, one of the investigated Allende CAIs has a lower ¹⁸⁴W/¹⁸³W ratio, most likely reflecting an overabundance of r-process relative to s-process isotopes of W. All other bulk CAIs have similar ¹⁸⁰Hf/¹⁸⁴W and ¹⁸²W/¹⁸⁴W ratios that are elevated relative to average carbonaceous chondrites, probably reflecting Hf-W fractionation in the solar nebula within the first ∼3 Myr. The limited spread in ¹⁸⁰Hf/¹⁸⁴W ratios among the bulk CAIs precludes determination of a CAI whole-rock isochron but the fassaites have high ¹⁸⁰Hf/¹⁸⁴W and radiogenic ¹⁸²W/¹⁸⁴W ratios up to ∼14 ε units higher than the bulk rock. This makes it possible to obtain precise internal Hf-W isochrons for CAIs. There is evidence of disturbed Hf-W systematics in one of the CAIs but all other investigated CAIs show no detectable effects of parent body processes such as alteration and thermal metamorphism. Except for two fractions from one Allende CAI, all fractions from the investigated CAIs plot on a single well-defined isochron, which defines the initial ε¹⁸²W = −3.28 ± 0.12 and ¹⁸²Hf/¹⁸⁰Hf = (9.72 ± 0.44) × 10⁻⁵ at the time of CAI formation. The initial ¹⁸²Hf/¹⁸⁰Hf and ²⁶Al/²⁷Al ratios of the angrites D’Orbigny and Sahara 99555 are consistent with the decay from initial abundances of ¹⁸²Hf and ²⁶Al as measured in CAIs, suggesting that these two nuclides were homogeneously distributed throughout the solar system. However, the uncertainties on the initial ¹⁸²Hf/¹⁸⁰Hf and ²⁶Al/²⁷Al ratios are too large to exclude that some ²⁶Al in CAIs was produced locally by particle irradiation close to an early active Sun. The initial ¹⁸²Hf/¹⁸⁰Hf of CAIs corresponds to an absolute age of 4568.3 ± 0.7 Ma, which may be defined as the age of the solar system. This age is 0.5-2 Myr older than the most precise ²⁰⁷Pb-²⁰⁶Pb age of Efremovka CAI 60, which does not seem to date CAI formation. Tungsten model ages for magmatic iron meteorites, calculated relative to the newly and more precisely defined initial ε¹⁸²W of CAIs, indicate that core formation in their parent bodies occurred in less than ∼1 Myr after CAI formation. This confirms earlier conclusions that the accretion of the parent bodies of magmatic iron meteorites predated chondrule formation and that their differentiation was triggered by heating from decay of abundant ²⁶Al. A more precise dating of core formation in iron meteorite parent bodies requires precise quantification of cosmic-ray effects on W isotopes but this has not been established yet.