The coupled δC-radiocarbon systematics of three Late Glacial/early Holocene speleothems; insights into soil and cave processes at climatic transitions

The coupled δ¹³C-radiocarbon systematics of three European stalagmites deposited during the Late Glacial and early Holocene were investigated to understand better how the carbon isotope systematics of speleothems respond to climate transitions. The emphasis is on understanding how speleothems may record climate-driven changes in the proportions of biogenic (soil carbon) and limestone bedrock derived carbon. At two of the three sites, the combined δ¹³C and ¹⁴C data argue against greater inputs of limestone carbon as the sole cause of the observed shift to higher δ¹³C during the cold Younger Dryas. In these stalagmites (GAR-01 from La Garma cave, N. Spain and So-1 from Sofular cave, Turkey), the combined changes in δ¹³C and initial ¹⁴C activities suggest enhanced decomposition of old stored, more recalcitrant, soil carbon at the onset of the warmer early Holocene. Alternative explanations involving gradual temporal changes between open- and closed-system behaviour during the Late Glacial are difficult to reconcile with observed changes in speleothem δ¹³C and the growth rates. In contrast, a stalagmite from Pindal cave (N. Spain) indicates an abrupt change in carbon inputs linked to local hydrological and disequilibrium isotope fractionation effects, rather than climate change. For the first time, it is shown that while the initial ¹⁴C activities of all three stalagmites broadly follow the contemporaneous atmospheric ¹⁴C trends (the Younger Dryas atmospheric ¹⁴C anomaly can be clearly discerned), subtle changes in speleothem initial ¹⁴C activities are linked to climate-driven changes in soil carbon turnover at a climate transition.     

Principles Of Radiometry

In the first part of this tutorial paper, we survey the physical basis of radiometry – the measurement of electromagnetic energy, and the physical quantities needed to quantify it and to describe reflected and emitted radiation The second part considers what a radiometer is, how it works and on what the signal depends. The third part addresses radiometry inthe context of Earth Observations, with an emphasis on the solar reflected region (visible near infrared) and thermal infrared region. The role of the atmosphere, the ambient radiation, and how to extract information from the signal at the satellite are also discussed briefly.     

Climate proxies from Sr/Ca of coccolith calcite: calibrations from continuous culture of Emiliania huxleyi

Continuous culture of the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi reveals that coccolith Sr/Ca ratios depend on temperature and growth rate. At a constant temperature of 18°C, coccolith Sr/Ca ratios increased nearly 15% as growth rate increased from 0.1 to 1.5 divisions per day and calcification rate increased from 1.5 to 50 pg calcite per cell per day. When temperature increased from 7 to 26°C, Sr/Ca ratios increased by more than 25% (i.e., 1%/1°C), although the range in growth and calcification rates was the same as for experiments at constant temperature. The temperature dependence of Sr/Ca ratios in coccoliths is consistent with that observed in planktonic foraminifera and abiogenic calcites, suggesting that it is controlled by thermodynamic processes. However, the positive correlation of coccolith Sr/Ca with temperature contrasts with field studies in the equatorial Pacific, where Sr/Ca ratios are highest at the locus of maximum upwelling and productivity despite depressed temperatures. This paradox may reflect different calcification rate effects between E. huxleyi and the other species dominating assemblages in the equatorial Pacific sediments, which may be resolved by new techniques for separation of monospecific coccolith samples from sediments. Models of crystal growth indicate that kinetic effects on Sr partitioning in calcite due to surface enrichment could explain the Sr/Ca variations observed in constant temperature experiments but not the larger amplitude calcification rate effects observed in equatorial Pacific sediments. Despite the dual influence of temperature and growth rate on coccolith Sr/Ca, coccolith Sr/Ca correlates with “b,” the slope of the dependence of carbon isotope fractionation in biomarkers (ε_p) on CO₂(aq) at a range of growth rates and temperatures. Consequently, using coccolith Sr/Ca in combination with alkenone ε_p may improve paleo-CO₂ determinations.     

Catalogue of Shakhbazian compact groups of galaxies. VII.

The seventh part of the catalogue of Shakhbazian groups contains the positions and references of all the galaxies of the following 48 groups (north of δ > +2°30′): Shkh 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 142, 149, 150, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166. For the estimation of the coordinates the Digitized Sky Survey was used.     

Photometric catalogue of Shakhbazian compact groups of galaxies. I

Compact groups of galaxies are fruitful laboratories to study such processes as dynamical friction, tidal interaction, collision, and galaxy mergers. The largest survey of compact galaxy groups is the one of Shakhbazian, Petrosian, Baier, Tiersch. A programme to evaluate photometrical properties of the galaxies in the Shakhbazian groups has been started using the COSMOS/UKST catalogue of the Southern sky with δ ≤ + 2°30′. About a quarter of the Shakhbazian groups lie south of this declination limit. A list of 24 groups (Shkh 21, 24, 27, 30, 32, 33, 35, 81, 82, 83, 140, 141, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 151, 152, 154, 261, 262, 263) is our first result.