ALBERT

Description: The Houtman Abrolhos Islands, situated at the western passive margin of the Australian continent, consist of a series of shelf-edge coral reefs. The central platforms of the reefs are Late Pleistocene in age and are generally some 3–5 m above present sea level. The uppermost part of the Last Interglacial reefs normally has an upward-shallowing sequence, consisting of coral framestone, coralline algal bindstone and skeletal grainstone to rudstone. This sequence represents deposition in water depths of less than 2 m, and provides a good indicator of sea level. High-precision mass-spectrometric dates of corals from the Abrolhos reefs, including dates obtained from drill cores, arological, isotopic and stratigraphic criteria are established for the selection of suitable samples for dating and for assessing the reliability of dates. Using the screened dates and the stratigraphic evidence, the timing and character of the sea level variations of the Last Interglacial in the Abrolhos region are examined. The data show that sea level of the Last Interglacial in the Abrolhos was 4 m below its present height by ca. 134 ka BP and probably reached about 2 m above present height at ca. 133 ka BP. The exact time at which sea level reached its peak (6 m above present sea level) cannot be determined from our data. But it is clear that the sea level high stand of the Last Interglacial lasted until ca. 116 ka BP and that for much of the Last Interglacial sea level at the Abrolhos was at a height of about 4 m above its present level

Description: The model presented here provides an explanation of the rapid response of atmospheric CO2 to increasing solar insolation. In the glacial ocean, during periods of slow, deep water renewal, when less oxygen is supplied to the deep ocean and into sediments, manganese oxide in the sediments is reduced and forms soluble MnCO3 and stays in the water column. The dissolved Mn-carbonate should then reach a concentration of ≥ 10µMol/liter, approximately 5,000 to 104 times larger than it is at present. This is the mode prevailing until deep water formation at high latitudes starts again. As soon as the balance between oxygen and organic matter becomes oxidizing once more, the deposition of MnO2 recommences. Oxidation of dissolved Mn2+CO3 to Mn4+O2 which is a spike of acidity to the ocean, rapidly lowers the CO3−− concentration in the water column and enhances release of CO2 to the atmosphere, producing the observed events of CO2 increase at the transitions from glacials to interglacials. The surprising conclusion is that the oceanic (redox-) cycle of a minor element may have had a major impact on Earth's climate.

Description: To investigate the growth rates and absolute time stratigraphy of marine hydrogenetic ferromanganese encrustations, we performed 10Be profiling and ‘Co chronometry’ of crustal layers, as well as 87Sr86Sr and δ18O analysis of phosphatised limestone (francolite) within a ∼ 9.5 cm thick ferromanganese crust from Schumann Seamount in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Together with microfossil stratigraphy, our results indicate that some seamount crusts greatly exceed the commonly accepted Miocene maximum age, in this case probably approaching the Cretaceous age of the seamount. In addition to the unconformity at the crust-substrate boundary, at least eight major disconformities are indicated in the Schumann Seamount crust which probably represent depositional hiatuses or episodes of crust erosion. Three of the six upper disconformities can be placed at the Plio-Pleistocene, Middle Miocene and Paleocene-Eocene based on 10Be, microfossil and Co chronometer evidence. 87Sr86Sr and δ18O values of purified francolite from an inclusion-rich layer between the depths of 44 and 49 mm suggest apparent ages that approach those of Eocene-Late Paleocene microfossils reported in overlying layers, whereas francolite vein infillings in the lower part of the crust and in the basaltic substrate yield values that, if interpreted as ages of phosphatization, suggest a minimum Oligocene age. Paleotracking suggests the phosphogenesis observed here and on other Central Pacific seamounts could not have resulted from upwelling enhanced productivity associated with equatorial divergence if the Oligocene and Middle Miocene isotopic ages reported here and elsewhere are correct; however, a maximum Late Paleocene age for the phosphogenesis, consistent with the stratigraphy, would place these seamounts within 10°N of the equator. Paleotracking also suggests northeast tradewind transport of aluminosilicates in the Cenozoic, in agreement with other evidence for the antiquity of this ferromanganese crust.

Description: Biogenic particle fluxes from highly productive surface waters, boundary scavenging, and hydrothermal activity are the main factors influencing the deposition of radionuclides in the area of the Galapagos microplate, eastern Equatorial Pacific. In order to evaluate the importance of these three processes throughout the last 100 kyr, concentrations of the radionuclides 10Be, 230Th, and 231Pa, and of Mn and Fe were measured at high resolution in sediment samples from two gravity cores KLH 068 and KLH 093. High biological productivity in the surface waters overlying the investigated area has led to 10Be and 231Pa fluxes exceeding production during at least the last 30 kyr and probably the last 100 kyr. However, during periods of high productivity at the up welling centers off Peru and extension of the equatorial high-productivity zone, a relative loss of 10Be and 231Pa may have occurred in these sediment cores because of boundary scavenging. The effects of hydrothermal activity were investigated by comparing the 230Thex concentrations to the Mn/Fe ratios and by comparing the fluxes of 230Th and 10Be which exceed production. The results suggest an enhanced hydrothermal influence during isotope stages 4 and 5 and to a lesser extent during isotope stage 1 in core KLH 093. During isotope stages 2 and 3, the hydrothermal supply of Mn was deposited elsewhere, probably because of changes in current regime or deep water oxygenation. A strong increase of the Mn/Fe ratio at the beginning of climatic stage 1 which is not accompanied by an increase of the 230Thex concentration is interpreted to be an effect of Mn remobilization and reprecipitation in the sediment.

Description: The Houtman Abrolhos reefs, situated on the western continental margin of Australia, occupy a transitional position between cool-water shelf carbonate sediments to the south and more tropical environments to the north. Their existence at the outer limits of the geographical range for coral reef growth is a result of the warm, poleward-flowing Leeuwin Current. Though the modern reefs differ ecologically from tropical reefs, their geological characteristics have been little known until recently. Each of the three island groups in the Abrolhos consists of a central platform of Last Interglacial reefs, about which windward and leeward Holocene reefs have developed asymmetrically. In the Easter Group the subtidal windward reef in the west is ca. 10 m thick and is backed by a leeward-prograding, lagoon sand sheet which is 0–3 m thick. The emergent parts of the leeward reefs in the east consist of an upward-shallowing sequence comprising reef facies, peritidal rudstone facies, and coral rubble storm ridges. This is underlain by over 26 m of Holocene reef facies. Coring and dating of the Holocene reefs (using both TIMS and 14C methods) in the Easter Group has shown significantly different lithofacies in the windward and leeward reefs, and has allowed reconstruction of Holocene reef growth and sea-level history. Coralline algal bindstones and interbedded coral framestone facies characterise the relatively slow-growing windward Holocene reefs, whereas the fast-growing leeward reefs consist of coral framestone facies which are dominated by Acropora. The leeward reefs commenced growth about 10,000 years ago and the Morley reef grew to 0.3 m above present sea level by 6400 years B.P., recording a relative high sea-level event. This generated Holocene constructional topography characterised by “blue-hole” terrain. Windward Holocene reef growth commenced after 8200 years B.P. following erosion of the windward part of the Last Interglacial platform. High wave energy and competition with macroalgae limited coral growth, and the coralline algal-dominated windward reefs grew more slowly to sea level. The Holocene sea-level record provided by dates from the 26 m core of the Morley reef (a “keep-up” reef) is the first such record from the western continental margin of Australia.

Description: Profiles of the 230Th concentration in Mn crusts from the central Pacific Ocean measured at extremely high depth resolution reveal that the growth rates of Mn crusts are influenced by climate. Based on a “constant flux model” the sections of maximum 230Th concentration correspond to periods of slow growth during glacial stages. Fast growth occurred during interglacial stages 1, 5, and 7, probably due to a larger supply of Mn oxides from the water column. High-resolution profiles of 230Th and 10Be in sediment cores from high biological productivity areas display radioisotope maxima in the interglacial stages and minima during glacial periods, the ratio of the fluxes of 10Be/230Th being ≥4. The only exceptions are observed at 135 and 270 kyr B.P., where the ratio of the fluxes is as low as 0.1 to 0.3. We presume that this “230Th anomaly” reflects short periods of time at the end of glacials when precipitation of MnO2 occurred. This hypothesis is confirmed by peaks of Mn observed in sediment cores mainly at the transitions from glacial to interglacial stages. The standing crops of Mn in these layers suggest release of Mn2+ from the sediments during glacial stages and buildup of Mn in the water column to concentrations of up to 10 µmol/L.