Provenance of dust in the Pacific Ocean

Details Provenance of dust in the Pacific Ocean Provenance of dust in the Pacific Ocean

Aug 1993

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993e%26psl.119..143n&link_type=abstract

Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Volume 119, Issue 1-2, p. 143-157.

Computer Science

50

Scientific paper

Eolian dust preserved in deep-sea sediment cores provides a valuable indicator of past atmospheric circulation and continental paleoclimate. In order to identify the provenance of eolian dust, Nd and Sr isotopic compositions and Rb, Sr and rare earth element (REE) concentrations have been determined for the silicate fractions of deep-sea sediments from the north and central Pacific Ocean. Different regions of the Pacific Ocean are characterized by distinct air-borne inputs, producing a large range in ɛNd (-10 to +1), 87Sr/86Sr (0.705-0.721), La/Yb (5-15), EuN/EuN* (0.6-1.0) and Sr/Nd (4-33). The average Nd isotopic composition of Pacific deep-sea sediments (ɛNd = -6), is more radiogenic than the average from the Atlantic (ɛNd = -8). In contrast, the average 147Sm/144Nd ratio for Pacific sediments (0.114) is identical to that of Atlantic sediments and to that of global average riverine suspended material. The values of ɛNd and 147Sm/144Nd are positively correlated for the Pacific samples but negatively correlated for Atlantic samples, reflecting a fundamental difference between the dominant components in the end members with radiogenic Nd (island-arc components in the Pacific and LREE-enriched intraplate ocean island components in the Atlantic). Samples from the north central Pacific have distinctive unradiogenic ɛNd values of -10, 87Sr/86Sr > 0.715, high La/Yb (> 12), and low EuN/EuN* (0.6) and Sr/Nd (3-6). These data are virtually identical to the values for loess from Asia and endorse the use of these sediments as indicators of Asian paleoclimate and paleowind directions. Island-arc contributions appear to dominate in the northwest Pacific, resulting in higher ɛNd (-1 to +1) and lower 87Sr/86Sr (~ 0.705) and La/Yb (~ 5). Sediments from the eastern Pacific tend to have intermediate Sr and Nd isotopic compositions but regionally variable Sr/Nd and REE patterns; they appear to be derived from the west margin of the North and South American continents, rather than from Asia. Our results confirm that dust provenance can be constrained by isotopic and geochemical analyses, which will facilitate reconstructions of past atmospheric circulation and continental paleoclimate.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Provenance of dust in the Pacific Ocean does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Provenance of dust in the Pacific Ocean, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Provenance of dust in the Pacific Ocean will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1491741