Vol. 22 No. 2, 2019

Reconstruction of climatic changes in the late pleistocene-holocene using isotopic composition of hydrothermal formations in the arctic

Author(s):
Malov A.I.

DOI: 10.31433/2618-9593-2019-22-2-40-47

PDF (1876 К)

Abstract:
New data were obtained by the author on the current activity of radiocarbon and carbon-13 concentrations in groundwater and travertines of the Pymvashor hydrothermal system located at the junction of the Pechora plate of the East European Platform and the Pre-Ural down warp. Thermal waters and travertines have been dated using isotopes carbon, uranium-234, uranium-238, and thorium-230. It is established that the age of travertine varies from a maximum of 7.7±1.5 thousand years in the upper part of the travertine structure to a minimum of 2.5±0.5 thousand years in the lower one, which is associated with neotectonic uplift in the travertine deposits area and, accordingly, sequential formation of 12 travertine terraces. According to the original author's method, the radiocarbon activity in ancient thermal water was estimated during the deposition of travertine in the period from 7.7±1.5 to 2.5±0.5 thousand years ago. The author has also calculated the initial activity of radiocarbon in this water over the period from 13.9±1.5 to 6.2 thousand years ago taking into account the infl uence of isotopic dilution and exchange processes in the aeration zone and aquifers. He established that the initial activity of radiocarbon and concentration of carbon-13 decreased in young waters as compared to ancient ones. It is associated with the climatic change. Decreases in carbon-13 concentration of soil carbon dioxide and in the initial activity of radiocarbon took place due to warming and moistening of the climate, decomposition of fossil organic matter and a decrease in the activity of atmospheric radiocarbon. An increase in carbonate dissolution is also possible, due to an increase in the proportion of meteoric waters in thermal system, and an increase in carbon exchange between dissolved inorganic carbon and soil carbon dioxide because of permafrost melting.

Keywords:
carbon-14; changing of the climate; uranium isotopes; thorium-230; travertine

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