A log-coffin excavated in the early nineteenth century proved to be well enough preserved in the early twenty-first century for the full armoury of modern scientific investigation to give its occupants and contents new identity, new origins and a new date. In many ways the interpretation is much the same as before: a local big man buried looking out to sea. Modern analytical techniques can create a person more real, more human and more securely anchored in history. This research team shows how.

Ocean circulation changes in the tropical Pacific strongly influence global climate, as demonstrated during El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) extremes. Understanding the causes of past variability in tropical Pacific circulation and their relationship to climate change will help to predict how future climate may evolve under anthropogenic radiative forcing. I measure fossil coral radiocarbon (Δ¹⁴C) from Palmyra (6°N, 162°W) and Christmas (2°N, 157°W) Islands in the central tropical Pacific to reconstruct high-resolution records of tropical Pacific ocean circulation variability over the last millennium. Variations in coral Δ¹⁴C from Palmyra and Christmas reflect a combination of the atmospheric concentration of ¹⁴C at the time of growth, Δ¹⁴C-depleted waters associated with equatorial upwelling, and Δ¹⁴C -enriched waters advected from the western tropical Pacific. Existing oxygen isotopic (δ ¹⁸O) records of the Palmyra and Christmas fossil corals reveal a rich history of interannual to centennial variability in sea-surface temperature (SST) and salinity over the last millennium [Cobb et al., 2003b]. My approach targets specific time intervals associated with strong interannual to centennial-scale coral δ ¹⁸O anomalies for high-resolution Δ¹⁴C analysis. Seasonally-resolved Δ¹⁴C measurements are used to compare interannual Δ¹⁴C variability across the 10th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 20th centuries. Annually-resolved Δ¹⁴C measurements are used to compare decadal to centennial-scale Δ¹⁴C variations from the 10th, 12th - 15th and 17th centuries. SEM photos are used to assess the fidelity of the coral Δ¹⁴C records with respect to post-depositional alteration of the coral skeleton. I find evidence for minor dissolution and addition of secondary aragonite, but my results indicate that coral Δ¹⁴C is only compromised after moderate to severe diagenesis. Despite strong ENSO signals in modern and fossil coral δ ¹⁸O, our data show no statistically significant interannual variability in coral ¹⁴C. There is a centennial-scale increase in coral radiocarbon from the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA, ~900-1200AD) to the Little Ice Age (LIA, ~1500-1800). I use a box model of central tropical Pacific Δ¹⁴C contributions to show that this centennial-scale trend over the last millennium is largely explained by centennial-scale changes in atmospheric ¹⁴C. However, large 12th century depletions in Palmyra coral ∆¹⁴C data cannot be explained by atmospheric ¹⁴C variability and likely reflect a roughly two-fold increase in upwelling and/or a significant change in the ¹⁴C of higher-latitude source waters reaching the equatorial Pacific during this time. Conversely, significantly enriched Christmas coral ∆¹⁴C values during the 16th century are consistent with a two-fold reduction in upwelling strength and/or the advection of high-¹⁴C waters to the equatorial thermocline from higher latitudes.

Examensarbete. / Examensarbete i biologi.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2004. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Le radiocarbone (14C) et le tritium (3H) sont libérés dans l'environnement de manière naturelle et par les activités nucléaires. Les rejets devant perdurer pendant les prochaines décennies, il est primordial de prévoir leur devenir et leur temps de résidence dans les sols. L'objectif de cette thèse est de proposer une prévision quantitative et une modélisation simple du devenir de 14C et 3H dans les matières organiques du sol (MOS). L'originalité de ce travail est double: nous faisons l'hypothèse que l'incorporation et le devenir des atomes d'hydrogène non-échangeable (HNE) dans le sol sont couplés à la dynamique du carbone; l'approche choisie est le traçage naturel ou artificiel par les isotopes stables 13C et 2H.A travers le traçage naturel par le 13C in situ, nous avons quantifié le carbone récemment incorporé par la végétation sur quelques décennies. Nous avons alors adapté le modèle RothC à la dynamique du C profond des sols. Cela nous a permis de prévoir que 10% du C persisteront pendant plusieurs siècles dans les couches profondes. Les expériences croisées d'incubation de composés marqués en 13C et 2H nous a permis de montrer que l’activité microbienne est le moteur de l’incorporation d’hydrogène de l’eau dans les MOS et nous a permis d'établir la stœchiométrie CH des biotransformations. Ces expérimentations ont permis de proposer un modèle de la dynamique couplée de C et H des MOS à court et moyen terme (décennies). Une méta-analyse des corrélations entre les teneurs en 13C et 14C de sols mondiaux nous a permis de démontrer que l'enrichissement en 13C des MOS peut être expliqué en totalité par le rapport 13C/12C de la végétation dont elles sont issues. / Radiocarbon (14C) and tritium (3H) are naturally released into the environment but also through nuclear activities. The releases are expected to persist for the next decades, it is important to predict their fate and their residence time in soils. The objective of this thesis is to propose a quantitative prediction and a simple modeling of the fate of 14C and 3H in soil organic matter (SOM). The originality of this work is twofold: first, we hypothesize that the incorporation and fate of NEH atoms in the soil are coupled to the carbon dynamics. Second, we chose to trace carbon and hydrogen by natural or artificial 13C and 2H tracing.Through natural in situ 13C tracing, we quantified the carbon recently incorporated by vegetation in few decades. Deep horizons contain a large part of this carbon (typically 20 to 30%). We adapted the RothC model to the deep soil C dynamics. This allowed us to predict that 10% of C will persist for several centuries in the deeper layers. The labelling experiments showed that the microbial activity is driving the incorporation of hydrogen from water into SOM, and allowed us to establish the CH stoichiometry of biotransformations. These experiments were a mean to propose a model of the coupled C and H dynamics of the SOM in the short and medium term (decades). The results of this thesis contribute as well to the improvement of the interpretation of natural abundances in 13C and 2H stable isotopes. A meta-analysis of the correlations between the 13C and 14C concentrations of global soils has demonstrated that the 13C enrichment of deep organic matter can be fully explained by the 13C/12C ratio of the vegetation from which they are derived.

Arctic regions are expected to be highly sensitive to climate change regarding the prediction of disproportionately large increases in surface temperatures and their related influence over the hydrological cycle and permafrost thaw. These modifications have the potential to impact biogeochemical cycles in these regions and in particular the mobilization of organic carbon into rivers. The most crucial period in arctic rivers hydrological cycle is the spring freshet that can account for most of the annual organic carbon transfers to the ocean in a very short window of time. The focus of this thesis was to monitor the dynamic of DOM in terms of quantity and quality along the hydrological cycle of the Yenisei river, through DOM characterization approaches to reveal seasonal variations in its composition, sources, age and degradation state. The first step was to make a review of the full range of existing DOM characterization approaches in worldwide river systems to identify the most widely used, the most relevant and reliable ones. Through the development of a DOM quality measurements database, we have been able to evaluate the geographical coverage of DOM characterization studies, to give estimates and ranges of values of the main reported DOM characterization variables and to observe global trends of DOM quality across latitudinal gradient. Second stage was to investigate DOC dynamic in the Yenisei river with regard to quantity and links with water chemistry and hydrology. We conducted sampling campaigns during three consecutive years (2014 to 2016), covering with a high sampling frequency the spring flood period to capture its very dynamic evolution. We reported DOC concentrations that followed the hydrograph with highest concentrations observed a few days before peak discharge. DOC concentration also responded to discharge variation (increase, likely due to higher precipitation) in early autumn. We reported average DOC flux over the three sampling years of about 4.53 Tg yr-1 which is within the range of values reported in the literature. We observed interannual variability with annual export estimates ranging from 5.45 Tg yr-1 in 2014 to 3.57 Tg yr-1 in 2016, likely driven by discharge amplitude. We confirmed the important role of spring freshet in DOC export with on average more than 65% occurring during this period (roughly May/June). Third point was to determine DOM quality combining characterization techniques. Combination of approaches helped to strengthen observations and cross validate interpretations. Most of the variables reported from the different characterization techniques confirmed one each other. The use of lignin biomarkers, optical properties and radiocarbon age of DOM allowed us to trace DOM main sources has primarily deriving from recently produced organic matter leached from boreal forest litter and top soil horizon during the spring flood and older organic matter derived from deeper soil horizons during low flow period.

The Ceramics of Tiwanaku: What does the Variability Mean?Increasingly researchers observe a wide range of variability in Tiwanaku ceramics, not only in distant regions but also within the Tiwanaku heartland of the south Titicaca Basin. This variation makes it difficult to apply the three phase or five phase chronologies developed earlier this century, as is evidenced by the wide variety of adaptations made to accommodate new data into the old periodizations. What emerges from this newly described variability is a timeline for Tiwanaku that is both shorter and more complex than previously thought. This contradicts models of Tiwanaku as a monolithic, highly centralized state with few definable periods of distinct ceramic production or decorative style. / Cada vez más investigadores notan una amplia gama de variabilidad en la cerámica de Tiwanaku, no solo en las regiones a mucha distancia, sino también en la región central de Tiwanaku, al sur de la cuenca del lago Titicaca. Esta situación hace difícil aplicar las cronologías de tres y cinco fases desarrolladas a comienzos de este siglo, como lo evidencia la gran variedad de modificaciones hechas en ellas para poder acomodar los nuevos datos. Lo que emerge de esta nueva información es que el desarrollo temporal de la entidad política Tiwanaku es, simultáneamente, más corto y complejo de lo que se pensaba anteriormente. Esto contradice los modelos de Tiwanaku como un estado monolítico altamente centralizado, con algunos pocos periodos definibles de producción cerámica o estilo decorativo.

abstract: Growth of the Phoenix metropolitan area led to exposures of the internal bedrock structure of surrounding semi-arid mountain ranges as housing platforms or road cuts. Such exposures in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts reveal the presence of sedimentary calcium carbonate infilling the pre-existing fracture matrix of the bedrock. Field surveys of bedrock fractures filled with carbonate (BFFC) reveal an average of 0.079 +/- 0.024 mT C/m2 stored in the upper 2 m of analyzed bedrock exposures. Back-scattered electron microscopy images indicate the presence of carbonate at the micron scale, not included in this estimation. Analysis of the spatial extent of bedrock landforms in arid and semi-arid regions worldwide suggests that ~1485 GtC could potentially be stored in the upper 2 m horizon of BFFCs. Radiocarbon dating obtained at one of the sites indicates it is likely that some of the carbonate was flushed into the bedrock system during glacial wet pulses, and is stored on Pleistocene timescales or longer. Strontium isotope analysis at the same site suggest the potential for a substantial cation contribution from weathering of the local bedrock, indicating the potential exists for sequestration of atmospheric carbon in BFFCs. Rates of carbon release from BFFCs are tied to rates of erosion of bedrock ranges in desert climates. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Geography 2013

Ongoing retreat of Antarctica’s marine-based glaciers is associated with warm (~2° C) modified Circumpolar Deep Water intrusion onto the continental shelf, suggesting that Southern Ocean temperatures may influence Antarctic ice sheet stability. Understanding past cryosphere response to environmental forcing is crucial to modeling future ice sheet behavior. Of particular interest is the response of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS), which stands to contribute ~20 m to global sea level. However, marine sediment sequences recording timing and variability of EAIS fluctuations through the last major climate shift, the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), are either missing from the margin or have poor chronological control. Here we present three marine sediment cores that contain a record of pre-LGM fluctuations of the marine-based Lambert Glacier-Amery Ice Shelf (LG-AIS) system into Prydz Channel, East Antarctica. Analyses of core lithology, physical properties, cosmogenic nuclide concentration and diatom assemblage demonstrate that Prydz Channel was characterized by alternating open-marine and sub-shelf deposition, implying repeated LG-AIS fluctuations through the LGM. Our radiocarbon chronology demonstrates that LG-AIS fluctuations occurred on millennial timescales. Our record corroborates regional marine and terrestrial records, which demonstrate millennial scale variability in Antarctic Circumpolar Current strength, ice-rafted debris deposition, sea ice extent, Antarctic atmospheric temperature, and Southern Ocean sea surface temperature. This evidence suggests that the EAIS was sensitive to sub-orbital climate forcing in the past, and has implications for modeling future EAIS behavior.

The objective of this thesis was to reconstruct the Sedimentary, Cryostratigraphic and Paleoclimatic history of Two Moose Lake, central Yukon using a new analytical technique for dating ice wedges using Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC). During two field seasons in August 2013 and April 2014, 442 samples were collected from a newly exposed headwall of a thaw slump with 7 ice wedges and over 4m of sediment. Using cryostratigraphy, granulometry, stable isotopes and 18 14C-DOC ages, 4 stratigraphic units were delineated: 1) a sediment-rich ice layer inferred to be of glacial origin (>32ka BP); 2) a silt-rich layer deposited during the Holocene Thermal Maximum (~10 to 8.2ka BP); 3) a silt with organics layer deposited from ~8ka to 6.4ka BP, and 4) a paleo-active layer and modern active layer. 14C-DOC dating indicated two periods of ice wedge activity at Two Moose Lake, the first during the late Pleistocene (31,608 to 12,990 yr cal BP) and from the mid-Holocene to present (6,328 to 892 yr cal BP). The presence of late-Pleistocene aged ice wedges at Two Moose Lake supports the common belief of an unglaciated central Yukon during the most recent McConnell glaciation from 29.6 to 13ka BP. Values for δ18O from the Holocene- and Pleistocene-aged ice wedges were 2-3‰ and 5-9‰ depleted compared those of modern precipitation from Mayo (-22.32‰). Medium-resolution (2-4cm) sampling along with multiple 14C-DOC samples along a transect allowed for the creation of a continuous δ18O and temperature age profile to be developed from multiple ice wedges, showing a strong consistency between overlapping ages. The reconstruction of the paleoclimate of Two Moose lake is consistent with known events from southern Yukon including the Boutellier Inderstadial, a cold unglaciated central Yukon during the McConnell Glaciation, warming during the Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM) followed by an extreme cooling event at 8.2ka BP, a cooling event at 4.2ka BP, and the subsequent warming to present temperatures.