Dating stalagmites in mediterranean climates using annual trace element cycles.

ABSTRACT: Speleothems may preserve geochemical information at annual resolution, preserving information about past hydrology, environment and climate. In this study, we advance information-extraction from speleothems in two ways. First, the limitations in dating modern stalagmites are overcome by refining a dating method that uses annual trace element cycles. It is shown that high-frequency variations in elements affected by prior calcite precipitation (PCP) can be used to date speleothems and yield an age within 2-4% chronological uncertainty of the actual age of the stalagmite. This is of particular relevance to mediterranean regions that display strong seasonal controls on PCP, due to seasonal variability in water availability and cave-air pCO₂. Second, using the chronology for one sta

SUBMITTER: Nagra G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5428411 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature