%0 Journal Article
%A García Escarzaga, Asier
%A Moncayo Martín, Samuel
%A Gutiérrez Zugasti, Igor
%A González Morales, Manuel R.
%A Martín Chivelet, Javier
%A Cáceres, Jorge Omar
%T Mg/Ca ratios measured by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS): a new approach to decipher environmental conditions
%D 2015
%@ 0267-9477
%U https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/23836
%X The potential application of Mg/Ca ratios in top shells of the mollusc species Phorcus lineatus (Da Costa, 1778) obtained by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) have been evaluated as an environmental proxy to reconstruct paleotemperatures and season of capture of molluscs for the first time. All samples were collected from Cantabrian Sea (Spain). The results were compared with instrumental sea surface temperatures (SST) and with a known reliable proxy as oxygen isotope ratio (δ18Oshell) which is mainly dependent on SST, obtained from the same shells. The measurements were taken in two different biominerals of the shell (aragonite and calcite) resulting in a correlation between Mg/Ca ratios and SST of R2= 0.43 and 0.44, respectively. Mg/Ca ratios were also studied through a long sequence on three shells collected in autumn 2012. Results show variations in Mg/Ca ratios related to seasonal changes in SST through the year and a good correlation between Mg/Ca ratios and δ18Oshell in two shells (R2= 0.70 and 0.65, respectively).
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