Advancing tephrochronology as a global dating tool: Applications in volcanology, archaeology, and palaeoclimatic research

Abstract

Layers of far-travelled volcanic ash (tephra) from explosive volcanic eruptions provide stratigraphic and numerical dating horizons in sedimentary and volcanic sequences. Such tephra layers may be dispersed over tens to thousands of kilometres from source, reaching far beyond individual volcanic regions. Tephrochronology is consequently a truly global dating tool, with applications increasingly widespread across a range of Quaternary and geoscience disciplines. This special issue of the International Focus Group on Tephrochronology and Volcanism (INTAV) showcases some of the many recent advances in tephrochronology, from methodological developments to diverse applications across volcanological, archaeological, and palaeoclimatological research.

The interpretative value of transformed tephra sequences

“…Research in tephrochronology sensu stricto continues to gather pace (e.g. Davies, ; Lane et al ., ; Lowe, ). Our aim is to balance these developments in tephra science with a focus on visible layers in exposed terrestrial sequences.…”

Crossing new frontiers: extending tephrochronology as a global geoscientific research tool

“…INTAV has provided a forum for discussion and collaboration between tephrochronologists through the organisation and support of field conferences, focussed meetings including a number of skills‐based workshops, conference sessions, and special issues of journals (e.g. Froese et al ., 2008; Lowe et al ., 2011; Lane et al ., 2017a). There has been a special focus on supporting the activities of early‐career researchers (including students).…”

“…(2017) review the methods and best practices for chemically characterising glass shards from tephras and cryptotephras and correlating deposits, and Lane et al . (2017b) provide a useful update on various more recent advances.…”

“…It relies on the identification and tracing of tephra or cryptotephra horizons spatially between various depositional sequences. These horizons can provide stratigraphic event layers (tephrostratigraphy) and, when dated, isochronous age markers — since most tephra are deposited on a scale of days to weeks — that can be transferred from site to site (tephrochronology) (Lane et al ., 2017b). The correlation of horizons between different sequences is reliant on matching the physical characteristics, mineralogical assemblages, and geochemical compositions of minerals and/or glass shards in tephra deposits using a range of analytical methods and visual and statistical approaches (e.g.…”

Ash From the Changbaishan Qixiangzhan Eruption: A New Early Holocene Marker Horizon Across East Asia

“…Tephra from explosive eruptions can be deposited over a large area, forming widely distributed marker beds, which are important chronological tools for paleoenvironmental, geological, and archeological studies (e.g., Cook et al, ; Lane et al, , ; Lowe, ; van der Bilt et al, ). Whether the QE produced extensive pyroclastic deposits or merely effusive lava flows has been debated for several decades (Fan et al, ; Li et al, ; Liu et al, , ; Pan et al, ).…”