Low-Temperature Oxidation of Magnetite in Loess-Paleosol Sequences: a Correction of Rock Magnetic Parameters

Low-temperature oxidation under atmospheric conditions affects the magnetic properties of magnetite in natural rocks: the coercivities of magnetite grains increase and other parameters change accordingly. It was recently shown that heating to 150°C largely removes the effects of low-temperature oxidation (van Velzen and Zijderveld, 1995). Heating may therefore serve as a detection tool for the presence of the effect of low-temperature oxidation. In the present study, a collection of loess and paleosol samples from various loess regions of the world is examined for the influence of low-temperature oxidation. In all samples of the collection a decrease of coercivities was found after heating to 150°C. Generally loess samples were affected to a larger extent than paleosol samples. The original range of remanent coercivities(B _cr)of 21-58 mT changed to 20-42 mT after heating. The IRM capacity of the samples decreased from 0 up to 25%. ARM showed changes between a decrease of 10% and an increase of 15%. The grain-size indicative parameter IRM/ARM is considerably influenced by the heating and therefore by low-temperature oxidation. The changes in susceptibility are limited and will not influence the interpretation of large-scale features of the susceptibility record as a paleoclimate proxy. Small variations, however, may be obscured by the varying influence of oxidation in the outcrop, which can significantly modify the rock-magnetic record. Rock-magnetic parameters used to determine magnetic mineral content and grain sizes should be corrected for the effect of low-temperature oxidation. To this end heating to 150°C is recommended. The occurrence of the changes is in itself already an indication for the presence of magnetite. Low-temperature oxidation will not only be due to recent weathering in the outcrop, but also to earlier oxidation processes in the source area, during transport and deposition of the loess and during pedogenesis. Truly fresh sediment samples are only influenced by this earlier oxidation. In that case heating will reveal the degree of ancient low-temperature oxidation, which may be related to climate at the time of deposition and pedogenesis.     

Molecular and isotopic characterization of organic samples from the wreck of the Saint-Etienne merchant ship (XVIIIth century): Identification of pitch,fat, hair and sulfur

The wreck U Pezzo, excavated within the Saint Florent Gulf in northern Corsica was identified as the pink, Saint Etienne, a merchant ship which sank on January 31, 1769. In order to determine the composition of organic materials used to coat the hull or to waterproof different parts of the pink, a study of several samples, using molecular biomarker and carbon isotopic analysis, was initiated. The results revealed that the remarkable yellow coat, covering the outside planks of the ship’s bottom under the water line, is composed of sulfur, tallow (of ox and not of cetacean origin) and black pitch which corresponds to a mixture called “couroi” or “stuff”. Onboard ropes had been submitted to a tarring treatment with pitch. Hairs mixed with pitch were identified in samples collected between the two layers of the hull or under the sheathing planking. The study also provides a key model for weathering of pitch, as different degrees of degradation were found between the surface and the heart of several samples. Accordingly, molecular parameters for alteration were proposed. Furthermore novel mixed esters between terpenic and diterpenic alcohols and the free major fatty acids (C_14:0, C_16:0, C_18:0) were detected in the yellow coat.