LEADAT: a MATLAB-based program for lead-210 data analysis of sediment cores

The program described herein (LEADAT) serves to calculate sediment date and sedimentation rate using the 210 Pb method for the studies of environmental processes and pollution history on a time scale of 100~150 a. The program written in MATLAB (Version7.0) permits the user to select the principal models of 210 Pb method, i.e., the constant fluxes of sediment and lead-210 (CFSL) model, the constant flux of lead-210 (CFL) model, the constant initial concentration of lead-210 (CICL) model and the two-layer mixing (TLM) model. Although appropriate model selection is essentially based on understanding of the sedimentary processes, the pattern of the excess 210 Pb profile is also helpful for model selection. The excess 210 Pb profiles for two sediment cores collected from a brackish lake and an embayment respectively are used to demonstrate the application of the program. With a graphical user interface, the program can be easily executed. Not only ASCII but also graphical output can be generated by means of the program. Meanwhile, the code can be modified easily for extension.