Radiometric dating of recent sediments: beyond the boundary conditions

Most mathematical models for radiometric dating of recent sediments are particular solutions of a unique physical problem: the advective?Cdiffusive transport of a particle-bound radiotracer within a sediment profile that undergoes accretion. Regardless of the particular assumptions about fluxes, sedimentation rates and the diffusion term, all models assume ideal deposition as a boundary condition at the sediment water interface, i.e. new radioactive input will be deposited above the previously existing material. In sediments with very high porosities, this assumption may be unrealistic, because a fraction of the incoming flux may penetrate rapidly through the connected pore spaces. This process will be referred to as non-ideal deposition. This paper reviews evidence from literature data, discusses the basic processes involved, and establishes the mathematical basis to incorporate non-ideal deposition into one-phase radiometric dating models, as depth-distributed local sources. Through analytical and numerical solutions, this work demonstrates that such penetration patterns can explain excess ²¹⁰Pb subsurface maxima, often observed in sediment cores, as well as penetration of ¹³⁷Cs to depths greater than expected from sedimentation rates and diffusion. These ideas are illustrated using examples from the literature in which sediment porosities were >90?%. Implications for radiometric dating include: (1) spurious accelerations in sedimentation rate inferred when applying the constant rate of supply model, and (2) erroneous chronologies, developed when using the maximum depth at which ¹³⁷Cs can be measured as a chronostratigraphic marker.     

A multiproxy evaluation of Holocene environmental change from Lake Igaliku, South Greenland

This is the first integrated multiproxy study to investigate climate, catchment evolution and lake ecology in South Greenland. A 4-m-long sedimentary sequence from Lake Igaliku (61o 00?? N, 45o 26?? W, 15?m asl) documents major environmental and climatic changes in south Greenland during the last 10?ka. The chronology is based on a ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs profile and 28 radiocarbon dates. The paleoenvironmental history is interpreted on the basis of magnetic susceptibility, grain size, total organic carbon, total nitrogen and sulphur, sedimentation rates, pollen, and diatom assemblages. The basal radiocarbon date at ca. 10?cal?ka BP provides a minimum age for the deglaciation of the basin, which is followed by ~500?years of high sedimentation rates in a glacio-marine environment. After the glacio-isostatic emergence of the basin ca. 9.5?cal?ka BP, limnological and terrestrial proxies suggests early warmth, which may have been interrupted by a cold, dry and windy period between 8.6 and 8.1?cal?ka BP. A dry and windy event ~5.3?C4.8?cal?ka BP preceded the Neoglacial transition at Lake Igaliku, which is characterized by a shift toward moister and perhaps cooler conditions ~4.8?cal?ka BP, causing major changes in terrestrial and aquatic ecological conditions. Significant cooling is documented after ~3?cal?ka BP. Since ~1?cal?ka BP the climatic-driven changes were overprinted by the human influence of Norse and recent agriculture.     

The evolution of the high‐elevated depocenters of the northern Sierras Pampeanas (ca. 28˚ SL), Argentine broken foreland,South‐Central Andes: the Pipanaco Basin

The Pipanaco Basin, in the southern margin of the Andean Puna plateau at ca. 28°SL, is one of the largest and highest intermontane basins within the northernmost Argentine broken foreland. With a surface elevation >1000 m above sea level, this basin represents a strategic location to understand the subsidence and subsequent uplift history of high‐elevation depositional surfaces within the distal Andean foreland. However, the stratigraphic record of the Pipanaco Basin is almost entirely within the subsurface, and no geophysical surveys have been conducted in the region. A high‐resolution gravity study has been designed to understand the subsurface basin geometry. This study, together with stratigraphic correlations and flexural and backstripping analysis, suggests that the region was dominated by a regional subsidence episode of ca. 2 km during the Miocene‐Pliocene, followed by basement thrusting and ca. 1–1.5 km of sediment filling within restricted intermontane basin between the Pliocene‐Pleistocene. Based on the present‐day position of the basement top as well as the Neogene‐Present sediment thicknesses across the Sierras Pampeanas, which show slight variations along strike, sediment aggradation is not the most suitable process to account for the increase in the topographic level of the high‐elevation, close‐drainage basins of Argentina. The close correlation between the depth to basement and the mean surface elevations recorded in different swaths indicates that deep‐seated geodynamic process affected the northern Sierras Pampeanas. Seismic tomography, as well as a preliminary comparison between the isostatic and seismic Moho, suggests a buoyant lithosphere beneath the northern Sierras Pampeanas, which might have driven the long‐wavelength rise of this part of the broken foreland after the major phase of deposition in these Andean basins.     

Analysis of the Devonian (Frasnian) platform from Belgium: a multi‐faceted approach for basin evolution reconstruction

This study undertakes a multi‐disciplinary approach (sedimentology, carbon isotopes, magnetic susceptibility and thickness distribution) to improve understanding of a major Palaeozoic carbonate platform, the Frasnian platform of Belgium. These combined techniques are used to reconstruct the platform history, which evolved in two main steps. During the first phase, the basin was strongly influenced by faulting, producing notable thickness and facies variations, with open ocean conditions, with good water circulation and no/or limited barrier reef. The second phase of platform development was less influenced by differential subsidence, as indicated by homogeneous facies distribution. However, this platform developed under restricted waters, with low circulation which is likely related to the development of a barrier reef.     

Using Scintillometry to Estimate Sensible Heat Fluxes over Water: First Insights

An extra large aperture scintillometer (XLAS) was used over several months across the Thau Lagoon (South of France) to retrieve one-wavelength scintillation and, thence, sensible heat flux. We present the experiment with the XLAS, an eddy-covariance station and meteorological stations measuring on or near the Thau Lagoon. Changes implemented to adapt the scintillometry processing schemes to the above water conditions are presented together with a full error budget, including sensitivity tests to the relevant parameters of the scintillometer processing scheme. The XLAS error budget amounts to 16% (systematic part) ±50% (random part). Sensible heat fluxes obtained using the XLAS under unstable atmospheric conditions are then compared to eddy-covariance estimates used as a reference. The scintillometry technique proved to perform satisfactorily in such a watery environment. Some discrepancies observed between the XLAS and eddy-covariance measurements were investigated according to the lagoon fraction of the source area, to discriminate whether they were related to deviations from the Monin–Obukhov similarity theory or to different atmospheric conditions at the respective instrument locations. Local atmospheric conditions agreed well with the Monin–Obukhov similarity theory, especially measurements with source areas largely composed of the lagoon surface. Retaining only the measurements with almost only the lagoon surface in the source area improved the agreement between the XLAS and eddy-covariance measurements. The remaining discrepancies are interpreted as being due to significant location differences between the two instruments, resulting in different atmospheric conditions, and to size differences in the source areas.     

Effects of observed and experimental climate change on terrestrial ecosystems in northern Canada: results from the Canadian IPY program

Tundra and taiga ecosystems comprise nearly 40?% of the terrestrial landscapes of Canada. These permafrost ecosystems have supported humans for more than 4500?years, and are currently home to ca. 115,000 people, the majority of whom are First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The responses of these ecosystems to the regional warming over the past 30?C50?years were the focus of four Canadian IPY projects. Northern residents and researchers reported changes in climate and weather patterns and noted shifts in vegetation and other environmental variables. In forest-tundra areas tree growth and reproductive effort correlated with temperature, but seedling establishment was often hindered by other factors resulting in site-specific responses. Increased shrub cover has occurred in sites across the Arctic at the plot and landscape scale, and this was supported by results from experimental warming. Experimental warming increased vegetation cover and nutrient availability in most tundra soils; however, resistance to warming was also found. Soil microbial diversity in tundra was no different than in other biomes, although there were shifts in mycorrhizal diversity in warming experiments. All sites measured were sinks for carbon during the growing season, with expected seasonal and latitudinal patterns. Modeled responses of a mesic tundra system to climate change showed that the sink status will likely continue for the next 50?C100?years, after which these tundra systems will likely become a net source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. These IPY studies were the first comprehensive assessment of the state and change in Canadian northern terrestrial ecosystems and showed that the inherent variability in these systems is reflected in their site-specific responses to changes in climate. They also showed the importance of using local traditional knowledge and science, and provided extensive data sets, sites and researchers needed to study and manage the inevitable changes in the Canadian North.     

Climatic trends and impact of climate change on agriculture in an arid Andean valley

Little is known about climate change and its impacts for the arid coastal and mountainous regions in northern Chile. The Elqui river basin, part of the Norte Chico of Chile between 27oS and 33oS latitude, is located south of the hyper-arid Atacama desert. Despite water scarcity, agricultural development in this region has been enhanced by agronomic practices and the marketing of valuable products. This paper characterizes the actual climate conditions and presents an overview and analyses of past climate variability, and future possible climate trends, emphasizing those relevant to agriculture. Precipitation shows an important decrease during the first decades of the past century. Runoff shows decreasing trends for the first half of the past century and increases for 1960 to 1985. Drought appears to be increasing. Statistical downscaling was accomplished using the Long Ashton Research Station Weather Generator. Both future periods of 2011 to 2030 and 2046–65 showed trends to higher minimum and maximum temperature. The number of hot days (maximum temperature greater than or equal to 30°C) has a strong increasing trend during October to April. Even though the downscaled results for precipitation do not show trends, the continuation of the present trend of low amounts is a concern. We discuss some implications of climatic changes for agriculture and we emphasize the importance of adaptation, especially to deal with water scarcity.     

Current state and trends in Canadian Arctic marine ecosystems: II. Heterotrophic food web, pelagic-benthic coupling, and biodiversity

As part of the Canadian contribution to the International Polar Year (IPY), several major international research programs have focused on offshore arctic marine ecosystems. The general goal of these projects was to improve our understanding of how the response of arctic marine ecosystems to climate warming will alter food web structure and ecosystem services provided to Northerners. At least four key findings from these projects relating to arctic heterotrophic food web, pelagic-benthic coupling and biodiversity have emerged: (1) Contrary to a long-standing paradigm of dormant ecosystems during the long arctic winter, major food web components showed relatively high level of winter activity, well before the spring release of ice algae and subsequent phytoplankton bloom. Such phenological plasticity among key secondary producers like zooplankton may thus narrow the risks of extreme mismatch between primary production and secondary production in an increasingly variable arctic environment. (2) Tight pelagic-benthic coupling and consequent recycling of nutrients at the seafloor characterize specific regions of the Canadian Arctic, such as the North Water polynya and Lancaster Sound. The latter constitute hot spots of benthic ecosystem functioning compared to regions where zooplankton-mediated processes weaken the pelagic-benthic coupling. (3) In contrast with another widely shared assumption of lower biodiversity, arctic marine biodiversity is comparable to that reported off Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Canada, albeit threatened by the potential colonization of subarctic species. (4) The rapid decrease of summer sea-ice cover allows increasing numbers of killer whales to use the Canadian High Arctic as a hunting ground. The stronger presence of this species, bound to become a new apex predator of arctic seas, will likely affect populations of endemic arctic marine mammals such as the narwhal, bowhead, and beluga whales.     

CO2 dilution in the lower atmosphere from temperature and wind speed profiles

Temperature and wind speed profiles obtained from 3?years of radio acoustic sounding system sodar measurements at a rural site in the northern Spanish plateau were fitted to polynomial functions. Depending on the extrema of these fits, several groups of profiles were considered. Daily evolution of temperature profiles corresponded to the lower boundary layer evolution. However, wind speed profiles revealed a frequent low-level jet during the whole day. CO₂ surface concentrations were analysed, and surface CO₂ dilution was also considered by selection of thin canopies with variable depth, resulting in dilution rates of 7 and 18?ppm when the layer increased 100?m for the 95th percentile and temperature and wind speed profiles, respectively.     

Numerical simulation of the diurnal cycle of rainfall in SW Amazon basin during the 1999 rainy season: the role of convective trigger function

In continental areas, the maximum rainfall simulated with the Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (BRAMS) occurs around 4?h earlier than the one observed with rain gauges. This work presents the successful implementation of a new convective trigger function (CTF) in the convective parameterization scheme used in BRAMS that corrects this misfit between model and observations. The importance of the CTF formulation on the diurnal cycle of rainfall over the Amazon Basin is reflected by the following numbers: Over Rondonia (SW Amazonia), the original version of BRAMS simulates the maximum rainfall at 1400 UTC (1000 LST), with the new CTF maximum shifting to 1800?UTC (1400?LST), while the S-band radar rainfall maximum is at 1900?UTC (1500?LST). This is attributed to two factors: (1) the new CTF is now coupled to the sensible and latent heat fluxes at surface; (2) during the early morning, the convective available potential energy is reduced.