RT Journal Article
T1 Pre-industrial Metal Anomalies in Ice Cores: A Simplified Reassessment of Windborne Soil Dust Contribution and Volcanic Activity during the Last Glaciation
A1 Oyarzun Muñoz, Roberto
A1 Lillo, Javier
A1 Sánchez-Hernández, Juan Carlos
A1 Higueras, Pablo
AB A major issue regarding pre-industrial accumulation of heavy metals such as Cu, Pb, Zn, or Hg in ice cores relates to the source(s) of the metals. We investigate the two possibilities that have been generally advocated for the origin of metal anomalies: (1) increased amounts of windborne dust during particularly cold periods; and (2) volcanic activity. We analyze the time span 35,000–14,000 yrs BP, which is characterized by extreme temperature deviations (^T: –2.1º to –9.8ºC). Our findings show no definitive relationships between climate, dust, and metal contents, at least during the colder episodes. Thus, although dust deposition undoubtedly adds metals to the ice, it not clear whether climate can fully account for a direct relationship between these variables. In order to study the volcanic hypothesis, we analyze the case under a double perspective: (1) large explosive episodes related to acid magmatism; and (2) quieter mafic volcanic activity. Although the first one can introduce huge volumes of metal-rich aerosols to the stratosphere during single, catastrophic events, the latter is more continuous, accumulative, and far richer in sulfur. However, inasmuch as metals build volatile species with sulfur and halides, the chloride-rich character of the acid volcanism could easily compensate for its deficiency in sulfur. Thus, we suggest that the volcanic activity, via quiescent degassing and eruptive episodes, may account for an important part of the heavy metal contents present in the ice cores.
PB Taylor and Francis
SN 0020-6814
YR 2005
FD 2005
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/122841
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/122841
LA eng
NO Oyarzun, R. et al. (2005) «Pre-industrial metal anomalies in ice cores: A simplified reassessment of windborne soil dust contribution and volcanic activity during the last glaciation», International Geology Review, 47(11), pp. 1120-1130. Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.2747/0020-6814.47.11.1120.
NO Copyright © 2005 by V. H. Winston & Son, Inc. All rights reserved.Received 02 Oct 2007 / Published online: 16 Jul 2010.Corresponding author; email: oyarzun@geo.ucm.es
NO Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (España)
DS Docta Complutense
RD 17 dic 2025