Sand calcites as a key to Pleistocene periglacial landscapes
Abstract We tested the potential for sand calcites to serve as a novel paleoclimate archive by investigating their age and formation conditions. Fontainebleau sand calcites are Pleistocene in age (based on 14 C and U-Th dating) and were primarily formed during glacial periods. δ 13 C values increase...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/qua.2020.98 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0033589420000988 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/qua.2020.98 2024-09-15T18:30:05+00:00 Sand calcites as a key to Pleistocene periglacial landscapes Thiry, Médard Innocent, Christophe Girard, Jean-Pierre Milnes, Anthony Richard Franke, Christine Guillon, Sophie 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/qua.2020.98 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0033589420000988 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Quaternary Research volume 101, page 225-244 ISSN 0033-5894 1096-0287 journal-article 2020 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/qua.2020.98 2024-06-26T04:04:09Z Abstract We tested the potential for sand calcites to serve as a novel paleoclimate archive by investigating their age and formation conditions. Fontainebleau sand calcites are Pleistocene in age (based on 14 C and U-Th dating) and were primarily formed during glacial periods. δ 13 C values increase with the depth at which these sand calcites formed, consistent with open and closed CO 2 systems. Interpretation of the δ 18 O-T relationship in sand calcites points primarily to their formation at a low temperature, around 2°C in shallow ground water and at about 9°C in deeper ground-water settings. Their occurrence, characteristics, and compositions suggest crystallization from paleo-ground waters in permafrost environments. Crystallization of sand calcites was triggered by degassing of cold carbonate-containing surface waters as they infiltrated warmer subsurface ground-water environments. We consider sand calcites to be important indicators of interactions between meteoric water and ground water in Pleistocene periglacial landscapes. Their disposition may point to specific features of periglacial landscapes, and their ages could permit an assessment of landscape incision rates. Large crystals and zoned spheroliths may, in fact, encapsulate continuous high-resolution records of continental glacial and periglacial paleoenvironments. Article in Journal/Newspaper permafrost Cambridge University Press Quaternary Research 101 225 244 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract We tested the potential for sand calcites to serve as a novel paleoclimate archive by investigating their age and formation conditions. Fontainebleau sand calcites are Pleistocene in age (based on 14 C and U-Th dating) and were primarily formed during glacial periods. δ 13 C values increase with the depth at which these sand calcites formed, consistent with open and closed CO 2 systems. Interpretation of the δ 18 O-T relationship in sand calcites points primarily to their formation at a low temperature, around 2°C in shallow ground water and at about 9°C in deeper ground-water settings. Their occurrence, characteristics, and compositions suggest crystallization from paleo-ground waters in permafrost environments. Crystallization of sand calcites was triggered by degassing of cold carbonate-containing surface waters as they infiltrated warmer subsurface ground-water environments. We consider sand calcites to be important indicators of interactions between meteoric water and ground water in Pleistocene periglacial landscapes. Their disposition may point to specific features of periglacial landscapes, and their ages could permit an assessment of landscape incision rates. Large crystals and zoned spheroliths may, in fact, encapsulate continuous high-resolution records of continental glacial and periglacial paleoenvironments. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Thiry, Médard Innocent, Christophe Girard, Jean-Pierre Milnes, Anthony Richard Franke, Christine Guillon, Sophie |
spellingShingle |
Thiry, Médard Innocent, Christophe Girard, Jean-Pierre Milnes, Anthony Richard Franke, Christine Guillon, Sophie Sand calcites as a key to Pleistocene periglacial landscapes |
author_facet |
Thiry, Médard Innocent, Christophe Girard, Jean-Pierre Milnes, Anthony Richard Franke, Christine Guillon, Sophie |
author_sort |
Thiry, Médard |
title |
Sand calcites as a key to Pleistocene periglacial landscapes |
title_short |
Sand calcites as a key to Pleistocene periglacial landscapes |
title_full |
Sand calcites as a key to Pleistocene periglacial landscapes |
title_fullStr |
Sand calcites as a key to Pleistocene periglacial landscapes |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sand calcites as a key to Pleistocene periglacial landscapes |
title_sort |
sand calcites as a key to pleistocene periglacial landscapes |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/qua.2020.98 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0033589420000988 |
genre |
permafrost |
genre_facet |
permafrost |
op_source |
Quaternary Research volume 101, page 225-244 ISSN 0033-5894 1096-0287 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/qua.2020.98 |
container_title |
Quaternary Research |
container_volume |
101 |
container_start_page |
225 |
op_container_end_page |
244 |
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1810471567685058560 |