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Abstract: Eolian sediments are common within the middle Gila River Valley, southern Arizona, and reflect variability in eolian and fluvial processes during the late Holocene. This study focuses on deciphering the stratigraphic record of eolian deposition and associated luminescence dating of quartz extracts by single aliquot regeneration (SAR) protocols. Stratigraphic assessment coupled with luminescence ages indicates that there are four broad eolian depositional events at ca. 3145±220yr, 1950–1360yr, 800±100yr, and 690–315yr. This nascent chronology, correlated with regional archeological evidence and paleoclimate proxy datasets, leads to two general conclusions: (1) loess deposits, transverse-dune formation and sand-sheet deposition in the late Holocene are probably linked to flow variability of the Gila River, though the last two events are concordant with regional megadroughts; and (2) the stability of eolian landforms since the 19th century reflects the lack of eolian sediment supply during a period of fluvial incision, resulting in Entisol formation on dunes. The prime catalyst of eolian activity during the late Holocene is inferred to be sediment supply, driven by climate periodicity and variable flow within the Gila River catchment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A sediment core from Lake Yarnyshnoe-3 (69°04'N; 36°04'E), an emerged coastal lake from the tundra of the north-central Kola Peninsula, has been analyzed for fossil pollen and diatoms. The pollen record shows the Younger Dryas event marked by increasing Artemisia coupled with decreases in Poaceae, Cyperaceae and Salix at c. 10 700 to 10 000 BP. This core provides the first well-defined palynological record of the Younger Dryas event on the Kola Peninsula. Stomates from Pinus were recovered from the core interval between 8000 and 6000 BP. The stomates, coupled with elevated values of pine pollen, indicate that Pinus sylvestris grew near the arctic coastline of the central Kola Peninsula in the middle Holocene. However, the small number of stomates suggests that pines were not plentiful. The diatom record from the core reflects basin isolation from the sea and indicates additional limnological changes during the climate transition between c. 5000 and 4000 BP. The broadly similar climate and vegetation history on the north-central Kola Peninsula and in Fennoscandia demonstrates the propagation of late glacial and Holocene climate events from the North Atlantic region into the Eurasian Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although paleoclimatic research in the Arctic has most often focused on variations in temperature, the Arctic has also experienced changes in hydrologic balance. Changes in Arctic precipitation and evaporation rates affects soils, permafrost, lakes, wetlands, rivers, ice and vegetation. Changes in Arctic soils, permafrost, runoff, and vegetation can influence global climate by changing atmospheric methane and carbon dioxide concentrations, thermohaline circulation, and high latitude albedo. Documenting past variations in Arctic hydrological conditions is important for understanding Arctic climate and the potential response and role of the Arctic in regards to future climate change. Methods for reconstructing past changes in Arctic hydrology from the stratigraphic, isotopic, geochemical and fossil records of lake sediments are being developed, refined and applied in a number of regions. These records suggest that hydrological variations in the Arctic have been regionally asynchronous, reflecting the impacts of different forcing factors including orbitally controlled insolation changes, changes in geography related to coastal emergence, ocean currents, sea ice extent, and atmospheric circulation. Despite considerable progress, much work remains to be done on the development of paleohydrological proxies and their application to the Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent observations on postglacial emergence and past glacier extent for one of the least accessible areas in the Arctic, northern Novaya Zemlya are here united. The postglacial marine limit formed 5 to 6 ka is registered on the east and west coasts of the north island at 10 ± 1 and 18 ± 2 m aht, respectively. This modest and late isostatic response along with deglacial ages of >9.2 ka on adjacent marine cores from the northern Barents Sea indicate either early (>13 ka) deglaciation or modest ice sheet loading (<1500 m thick ice sheet) of Novaya Zemlya. Older and higher (up to 50 m aht) raised beaches were identified beneath a discontinuous glacial drift. Shells from the drift and underlying sublittoral sediments yield minimum limiting [sup 14]C ages of 26 to 30 ka on an earlier deglacial event(s). The only moraines identified are within 4 km of present glacier margins and reflect at least three neoglacial advances in the past 2.4 ka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the relationship between high-Arctic fiford depositional environments and the natural thermoluminescence (TL) signal of sediments. The energy and duration of light exposure during transportation and deposition controls the TL level of silicate mineral grains in the sediment. The TL signal of sediments rapidly decreases within c. 0.5 km of a glacier sediment source. The highest TL levels are from tills and ice-proximal glacial-marine sediments, which receive little or no light exposure during transportation and deposition. Intermediate and consistent TL levels are recorded for ice-distal glacial-marine muds, c. 0.5-5.0 km from the glacier front, reflecting slower sedimentation rates. The lowest TL levels are for littoral and sublittoral sediments which receive extended light exposure with shoaling. The granulometry of the sediments is fairly homogeneous and is not diagnostic of a sedimentary environment with most samples dominated by silt and clay; littoral and ice-proximal samples exhibit peak abundances in sand. These results suggest that the relative TL signal of sediments is sensitive to a depositional environment, particularly for environments proximal (within 0.5 km) to a glacier terminus and in shallow water, less than 15 m deep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Absence of Os isotope and highly siderophile element evidence of extraterrestrial input for the Younger Dryas sediments. • Unradiogenic Os isotope ratios and highly siderophile element concentrations fingerprint volcanic aerosols. • Correlated unradiogenic Os peaks supports the proposed distant and episodic volcanic mechanisms for the Younger Dryas event. One of the prevailing hypotheses for the origin of the Younger Dryas (YD) cooling event is that it resulted from a bolide impact or airburst. Purported impact markers peak at or near the YD basal boundary layer at Northern Hemisphere locations. In this study, the 187Os/188Os ratios and highly siderophile element (HSE: Os, Ir, Ru, Pt, Pd, Re) abundances in a well-dated sediment section through the Younger Dryas at the Debra L. Friedkin site, Texas are reported. Unradiogenic 187Os/188Os peaks, which could be mantle-derived or extraterrestrial, have been found above, within, and below the YD basal boundary layer. Mass balance mixing models using chondrites or iron meteorites with upper continental crust fail to duplicate the chondrite-normalized HSE patterns of the sediment samples. These HSE signatures in the Friedkin site section replicate those found in Hall's Cave, Texas. The new results here thus independently confirm that the HSE abundances in the unradiogenic Os layers are likely a fingerprint of volcanic gas aerosols derived from large Plinian eruptions and not extra-terrestrial materials. To better constrain the lithological origins of YD sediments from the Friedkin and Hall's Cave sites, Texas, trace elements are presented here. The rare earth elements (REE) patterns and Ir, Ni, Ti and Zr abundances are also characterized with terrestrial signatures as opposed to impact melt rocks. An age profile correlation between the two study sites, further shows that three unradiogenic Os peaks overlap in time. The results are inconsistent with the extraterrestrial hypothesis and support instead an episodic and volcanic origin for the observed geochemical anomalies at the Debra L. Friedkin and Hall's Cave sites, Texas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Episodes of fluvial deposition and incision preserved in Quaternary sediments are valuable archives, but have been understudied in low order streams in central Texas, USA. An exposure along Owl Creek a tributary of the Brazos River was examined using geological approaches and pedological, including stratigraphy and soil description and characterization. Eight stratigraphic units were identified, described, and constrained in time based on relative stratigraphy and optically stimulated luminescent (OSL) ranging in age from ∼120 ka to <8 ka. Despite the dynamic nature of fluvial systems, the Owl Creek record has uniquely preserved sediment spanning the late Quaternary with major erosional events that may reflect the advance and retreat of the Laurentide ice sheet and the southward displacement of the jet stream and ensuing wetter conditions. Regional proxies become more abundant into the Holocene with Owl Creek and other local stream preserving sediment of different ages and are likely responding to intrinsic variables. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A 9.14 m long sediment sequence was recovered from Lake Fryxell, Taylor Valley, southern Victoria Land, Antarctica, and investigated for its chronology and sedimentological, mineralogical, and biogeochemical changes. The basal part of the sequence is dominated by coarse clastic matter, i.e., mainly sand. The sediment composition suggests that a lake existed in Fryxell basin during the Middle Weichselian by ca. 48,000 cal. year BP. After a short period of lake-level lowstand ca. 43,000 cal. year BP, lower Taylor Valley became occupied by the proglacial Lake Washburn, which was at least partly supplied by meltwater and sediments from the Ross Ice Sheet that was advanced to the mouth of Taylor Valley. Evaporation of Lake Washburn to lower levels started during the Last Glacial Maximum at ca. 22,000 cal. year BP, long before the Ross Ice Sheet retreated significantly. Lake-level lowering was discontinuous with a series of high and low stands. From ca. 4000 cal. year BP environmental conditions were similar to those of today and lower Fryxell basin was occupied by a small lake. This lake evaporated to a saline or hypersaline pond between ca. 2500 and 1000 cal. year BP and refilled subsequently. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]