North European last glacial–interglacial transition (LGIT; 15–9 ka) tephrochronology: extended limits and new events

Abstract

High-precision correlation of palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental records is crucial for testing hypotheses of synchronous change. Although radiocarbon is the traditional method for dating late Quaternary sedimentary sequences, particularly during the last glacial-interglacial transition (LGIT; 15-9 ka), there are inherent problems with the method, particularly during periods of climate change which are often accompanied by major perturbations in atmospheric radiocarbon content. An alternative method is the use of tephras that act as time-parallel marker horizons. Within Europe, numerous volcanic centres are known to have erupted during the LGIT, providing considerable potential for high-precision correlation independent of past radiocarbon fluctuations. Here we report the first identification of the Vedde Ash and Askja Tephra in Ireland, significantly extending the known provenance of these events. We have also identified two new horizons (the Roddans Port Tephras A and B) and tentatively recognise an additional horizon from Vallensgård Mose (Denmark) that provide crucial additional chronological control for the LGIT. Two phases of the Laacher See Tephra (LST) are reported, the lower Laacher See Tephra (LLST) and probably the C2 phase of the Middle Laacher See Tephra (MLST-C2) indicating a more northeasterly distribution of this fan than reported previously.

The Middle Stone Age of the northern Kenyan Rift: age and context of new archaeological sites from the Kapedo Tuffs

“…infer a sedimentary archive that preserves a wider range of eruptive events of varying magnitudes than the rare, large-scale eruptions from distant sources typically used for correlation purposes in the Turkana Basin and elsewhere (e.g., Brown, 1972;Turney et al, 2006). A sample of the potential source areas on Silali (pyroclastic and lava cones) is shown in Fig.…”

Distal occurrence of mid-Holocene Whakatane Tephra on the Chatham Islands, New Zealand, and potential for cryptotephra studies

“…(2) Reworking (erosion) and dispersal by ocean currents, slumping, or bioturbation in marine sediments may also constrain the probability of preservation and recovery in cores (4) A major discovery from recent European and North Atlantic studies is that tephra records spanning the Late Quaternary are built entirely on the detection, recovery, and analysis of distal cryptotephras (e.g., Turney et al, 2006;Davies et al, 2010b). These are defined as glass-shard (and/or crystal) concentrations not visible to the naked eye as layers (Lowe, 2011).…”

Correlation and characterisation of individual glass shards from tephra deposits using trace element laser ablation ICP‐MS analyses: current status and future potential

“…Basaltic or andesitic tephra deposits tend not to be as widespread as the major silicic (rhyolitic or dacitic) tephras, but these too can also have very similar major element compositions, especially if erupted from the same volcano (for example, many Icelandic tephras), and can be equally as problematic to distinguish chemically. Such Icelandic tephras are becoming increasingly important in Quaternary stratigraphic correlations in the North Atlantic / northwest Europe region, but typically form very diffuse, fine-grained deposits suited only, to date at least, to petrographic and EPMA analysis (Davies et al, 2005a;Turney et al, 2004Turney et al, , 2006.…”