Evidence for enhanced 10Be deposition in Mediterranean sediments 35 kyr BP

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 707 - 710
• Main Authors: Castagnoli, G. Cini, Albrecht, A., Beer, J., Bonino, G., Shen, Ch, Callegari, E., Taricco, C., Dittrich-Hannen, B., Kubik, P., Suter, M., Zhu, G. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Blackwell Publishing Ltd 15.03.1995; American Geophysical Union
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Geochemistry; Geochronology; Isotope geochemistry. Geochronology; Soil and rock geochemistry; Line Islands; Mediterranean Sea; ignimbrite; Vostok; Quaternary; domes; production; volcanic rocks; eruptions; deposition; concentration; ice; isotope geochemistry; igneous rocks; amplitude; cores; fallout; Be-10; absolute age; radioactive isotopes; Holocene; age; sediments
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1029/95GL00298

In this letter, we report the profiles (∼160 samples) of 10Be, 9Be, Zn in a Mediterranean sediment core spanning the last 60 kyr. We show the existence of a 10Be peak, whose absolute age is estimated to be 34±3 kyr BP, based on its stratigraphic position between two tephra layers originating from two volcanic eruptions (Campanian Ignimbrite and Citara), dated by K‐Ar, 40Ar‐39Ar and 14C methods. This peak is similar to the increase in the 10Be concentration observed in Vostok and Dome C ice cores at the same age. The increase with approximately similar amplitude in both ice and sediment cores at different latitudes and hemispheres cannot be explained by changes in the archives. The present result supports the view of a well defined global enhancement of the 10Be flux, related to an increase of the 10Be production rate and not to a redistribution of the 10Be fallout between different latitudes.