Towards a Holocene tephrochronology for Sweden: geochemistry and correlation with the North Atlantic tephra stratigraphy

• Published in: Journal of Quaternary Science
• Main Author: Boygle, Jane
• Other Authors: Leverhulme Trust Overseas Studentship
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2004
• Subjects: Askja; Hekla; Iceland; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jqs.811; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fjqs.811; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jqs.811

Abstract Northern Europe has been affected by fallout of tephra from volcanic eruptions in Iceland throughout at least the Late‐glacial and Holocene. Microscopic volcanic ash horizons found in the British Isles, northern Germany and Scandinavia (e.g. Hekla 4) now provide important regional isochrons. Over recent years analytical techniques such as electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) have helped identify these distal tephra layers by glass geochemistry. Early tephra work in Sweden used refractive indices and bracketing radiocarbon dates for identification, resulting in tentative correlation. This paper presents geochemical data for Icelandic Holocene tephra in Sweden. Several sites in central Sweden have four distinct mid‐Holocene tephra layers. Correlation with the Icelandic record indicates that the following tephra layers are present: Hekla 4 (ca. 3830 yr BP), Kebister tephra (ca. 3600 yr BP), Hekla 3 (ca. 2880 yr BP) and Askja ad 1875. Preliminary analyses suggest that more, previously unidentified, tephra layers are present in low concentrations in the region, indicating potential for expanding the Swedish tephrochronology for palaeoecological and palaeoenvironmental work in northern Europe. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.