Georges Bonani

Cooling of tropical Brazil (5°C) during the last glacial maximum

A 30,000-year paleotemperature record derived from noble gases dissolved in carbon-14-dated ground water indicates that the climate in lowland Brazil (Piaui Province, 7�S, 41.5�W; altitude, 400 meters) was 5.4� � 0.6�C cooler during the last glacial maximum than today. This result suggests a rather uniform cooling of the Americas between 40�S and 40�N. A 5.4�C cooling of tropical South America is consistent with pollen records, snow line reconstructions, and strontium/calcium ratios and δ18O coral records but is inconsistent with the sea-surface temperature reconstruction of CLIMAP (Climate: Long-Range Investigation, Mapping and Prediction). On the basis of these results, it appears that the tropical Americas are characterized by a temperature sensitivity comparable to that found in higher latitudes.

Quantitative estimates of pedogenic ferromagnetic mineral formation in Chinese loess and palaeoclimatic implications

Abstract The quasi-continuously deposited loess sediments of the central Chinese loess plateau constitute one of the most complete and long lasting records of Quaternary palaeoclimate on land. Much of this record has been uncovered by measurement and interpretation of the magnetic properties of the loess. The polarity of natural remanent magnetization has provided absolute age dates by correlation with the geomagnetic polarity time scale. Magnetic low field susceptibility has been used to reconstruct the cyclic changes of Pleistocene palaeoclimates, although the origin of the signal is still poorly understood. From comparison with the 10 Be concentration throughout the sequence we are able to determine the contributions to susceptibility from inherited and authigenic sources for the last 130 ky. Since the production of authigenic magnetite is directly related to regional precipitation, annual palaeoprecipitation rates can be calculated. Palaeoprecipitation rates similar to present day rates are derived for oxygen isotope stage 5 including the last interglacial. In contrast, cold periods corresponding to oxygen isotope stages 2 and 4 experienced negligible precipitation. The beginning and end of the time interval represented by oxygen isotope stage 3, however, was characterized by short episodes when precipitation exceeded the Holocene average.

The Neandertal type site revisited: Interdisciplinary investigations of skeletal remains from the Neander Valley, Germany

The 1856 discovery of the Neandertal type specimen (Neandertal 1) in western Germany marked the beginning of human paleontology and initiated the longest-standing debate in the discipline: the role of Neandertals in human evolutionary history. We report excavations of cave sediments that were removed from the Feldhofer caves in 1856. These deposits have yielded over 60 human skeletal fragments, along with a large series of Paleolithic artifacts and faunal material. Our analysis of this material represents the first interdisciplinary analysis of Neandertal remains incorporating genetic, direct dating, and morphological dimensions simultaneously. Three of these skeletal fragments fit directly on Neandertal 1, whereas several others have distinctively Neandertal features. At least three individuals are represented in the skeletal sample. Radiocarbon dates for Neandertal 1, from which a mtDNA sequence was determined in 1997, and a second individual indicate an age of ≈40,000 yr for both. mtDNA analysis on the same second individual yields a sequence that clusters with other published Neandertal sequences.

AMS radiocarbon dating and varve chronology of Lake Soppensee: 6000 to 12000 14C years BP

For the extension of the radiocarbon calibration curve beyond 10000 14C y BP, laminated sediment from Lake Soppensee (central Switzerland) was dated. The radiocarbon time scale was obtained using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating of terrestrial macrofossils selected from the Soppensee sediment. Because of an unlaminated sediment section during the Younger Dryas (10000–11000 14C y BP), the absolute time scale, based on counting annual layers (varves), had to be corrected for missing varves. The Soppensee radiocarbon-verve chronology covers the time period from 6000 to 12000 14C y BP on the radiocarbon time scale and 7000 to 13000 calendar y BP on the absolute time scale. The good agreement with the tree ring curve in the interval from 7000 to 11450 cal y BP (cal y indicates calendar year) proves the annual character of the laminations. The ash layer of the Vasset/Killian Tephra (Massif Central, France) is dated at 8230±140 14C y BP and 9407±44 cal y BP. The boundaries of the Younger Dryas biozone are placed at 10986±69 cal y BP (Younger Dryas/Preboreal) and 1212±86 cal y BP (Alleröd/Younger Dryas) on the absolute time scale. The absolute age of the Laacher See Tephra layer, dated with the radiocarbon method at 10 800 to 11200 14C y BP, is estimated at 12350 ± 135 cal y BP. The oldest radiocarbon age of 14190±120 14C y BP was obtained on macrofossils of pioneer vegetation which were found in the lowermost part of the sediment profile. For the late Glacial, the offset between the radiocarbon (10000–12000 14C y BP) and the absolute time scale (11400–13000 cal y BP) in the Soppensee chronology is not greater than 1000 years, which differs from the trend of the U/Th-radiocarbon curve derived from corals.

Ams Radiocarbon Dating of Annually Laminated Sediments From Lake Holzmaar, Germany

AMS radiocarbon ages have been determined on terrestrial macrofossils selected from the annually laminated sediments of lake Holzmaar (Germany). The radiocarbon chronology of this lake covers the last 12.6 ka. Comparison of the radiocarbon dated varve chronology with tree ring data shows that an additional 878 years have to be added to the varve chronology. The corrected C-14 varve chronology of Holzmaar reaches back to ca. 13.8 ka cal. BP and compares favourably with the results from Soppensee (Switzerland) (Hajdas et al., 1993). The corrected ages for the onset and the end of the Younger Dryas biozone are 11,940 cal. BP and 11,490 cal. BP, respectively. The ash layer of the Laacher See volcanic eruption is dated at 12,201 +/- 224 cal. BP and the Ulmener Tephra layer is dated at 10,904 cal. BP.

Arctic Ocean evidence for late Quaternary initiation of northern Eurasian ice sheets

A high-resolution multiparameter stratigraphy allows the identification of late Quaternary glacial and interglacial cycles in a central Arctic Ocean sediment core. Distinct sandy layers in the upper part of the otherwise fine-grained sediment core from the Lomonosov Ridge (lat 87.5°N) correlate to four major glacials since ca. 0.7 Ma. The composition of these ice-rafted terrigenous sediments points to a glaciated northern Siberia as the main source. In contrast, lithic carbonates derived from North America are also present in older sediments and indicate a northern North American glaciation since at least 2.8 Ma. We conclude that large-scale northern Siberian glaciation began much later than other Northern Hemisphere ice sheets.

Holocene sea-level determination relative to the Australian continent: U/Th (TIMS) and 14C (AMS) dating of coral cores from the Abrolhos Islands

U/Th (TIMS) and ^(14)C (AMS) measurements are presented from two coral cores from the Easter group of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands between 28°S and 29°S on the western continental margin of Australia. The U/Th measurements on the Morley core from Morley Island cover a depth interval from 0.2 m above present sea level to 24.4 m below present sea level and comprise eleven samples. The ages vary between 6320 ± 50 a, at 0.2 m above sea level, and 9809 ± 95 a, at 24.4 m below sea level (all errors are 2σ). The mean growth rate is 7.1 ± 0.9 m/ka. The ^(14)C dates of selected Morley core corals show that the ^(14)C ages are ∼ 1000 a younger than their corresponding U/Th ages, which agrees with previous results. The main purpose of our ^(14)C measurements is to be able to compare them precisely with other coral cores where no U/Th measurements are available. The U/Th measurements of the Suomi core from Suomi Island cover a depth interval from 0.05 m to 14.2 m below present sea level and consist of four samples. The ages vary between 4671 ± 40 a, at 0.05 m below sea level, and 7102 ± 82 a, at 14.2 m below sea level, with a mean growth rate of 5.8 ± 0.2 m/ka. The growth history of both cores is explained by a simple model in which the growth rates of the Morley core can be interpreted as reflecting local rates of sea level rise, whereas the Suomi core is interpreted as reflecting lateral growth during the past ∼ 6000 a. Our results indicate that sea level relative to the western margins of the Australian continent was about 24 m lower than present at about 9800 a B.P. (^(14)C gives a date of 8500 a B.P.). Sea level then rose and reached a highstand, slightly higher than the present position at about 6300 a B.P (14C date: 5500 a). This highstand declined but was still higher than present at 4600 a B.P. This is in agreement with previous observations along the Australian coastal margins and with observations from the Huon peninsula (Papua New Guinea). Our results are very similar to theoretical numerical models, which take into consideration water loading and isostatic compensation and viscous mantle flow. In contrast, coral cores from Barbados show that corals with a ^(14)C age of ∼ 5500 a B.P. are some ∼ 10 m b.p.s.l. We interpret the difference between the Barbados core and the Morley core as resulting from additional “flooding” of Barbados by water redistribution, due to changes in the Earths geoid but not reflecting global sea level rise or major addition of melt waters over the past ∼ 6000 a. The difference in the geoid at Barbados between ∼ 6000 a B.P. and the present will require a refinement in the geophysical models. Precise ^(230)Th (TIMS) measurements on continental coasts will be required to provide an adequate data base for modelling deformation, flow of mantle material and sea-level height.

A strategy for estimating the impact of CO2 fertilization on soil carbon storage

As soils are a likely candidate for the so called missing carbon sink, we explore the possible impact of CO2 fertilization on the global humus inventory. For any given greening-induced enhancement of plant growth, the increase in soil carbon inventory will depend on the spectrum of turnover times with respect to oxidation. Here we develop estimates of carbon turnover rates based on soil radiocarbon measurements.

Evidence for a reduction in the carbonate ion content of the deep sea during the course of the Holocene

The paleo carbonate ion proxy proposed by Broecker et al. [1999] is applied in a search for trends in the Holocene acidity of waters in the transition zone between North Atlantic Deep Water and Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW). A clear signal emerges that the carbonate ion content of waters in this zone declined during the past 8000 years. In order to determine whether this decline represents a strengthening of the northward penetrating tongue of low CO3= content AABW or a global reduction of CO3=ion, measurements were made on a core from the Ontong Java Plateau in the western equatorial Pacific. Evidence for a similar decline in CO3=ion over the course of the Holocene was obtained lending support of the latter explanation. Such a drop is consistent with the recent finding by Indermuhle et al. [1999] that the CO2 content of the atmosphere (as recorded in the Taylor Dome Antarctica ice core) rose by 20–25 ppm during the past 8000 years.

The Effect of Changing Land Use on Soil Radiocarbon

Most carbon budgets require greening of the terrestrial biosphere as a sink for some of the excess carbon dioxide produced by fossil fuel burning and deforestation. Much of this storage is thought to occur in soils, but running counter to this conclusion is the observation that cultivation has reduced the agricultural reservoir of soil humus. Radiocarbon measurements in agricultural soils lend support to this browning of agricultural lands. Moreover, the loss is from the fast cycling portion of the humus.