Browsing by Author "Font, Eric"
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- Atmospheric halogen and acid rains during the main phase of Deccan eruptions: magnetic and mineral evidencePublication . Font, Eric; Fabre, Sébastien; Nedelec, A.; Adatte, T.; Keller, G.; Veiga-Pires, C.; Ponte, J.; Mirão, José; Khozyem, H.; Spangenberg, J. E.; Gerta Keller, Andrew C. Kerr,Environmental changes linked to Deccan volcanism are still poorly known. A major limitation resides in the paucity of direct Deccan volcanism markers and in the geologically short interval where both impact and volcanism occurred, making it hard to evaluate their contributions to the mass extinction. We investigated the low-magnetic-susceptibility interval just below the iridium-rich layer of the Bidart (France) section, which was recently hypothesized to be the result of paleoenvironmental perturbations linked to paroxysmal Deccan phase 2. Results show a drastic decrease of detrital magnetite and presence of scarce akaganeite, a hypothesized reaction product formed in the aerosols derived from reaction of a volcanic plume with water and oxygen in the high atmosphere. A weathering model of the consequences of acidic rains on a continental regolith reveals nearly complete magnetite dissolution after ~31,000 yr, which is consistent with our magnetic data and falls within the duration of the Deccan phase 2. These results highlight the nature and importance of the Deccan-related environmental changes leading up to the end- Cretaceous mass extinction.
- Atmospheric halogen and acid rains during the major Deccan episode: magnetic and mineral evidencesPublication . Font, Eric; Fabre, Sébastien; Nédélec, Anna; Adatte, T.; Keller, G.; Veiga-Pires, C.; Ponte, J.; Mirão, José; Khozyem, H.; Spangenberg, J. E.Environmental and climatic changes linked to Deccan volcanism are still poorly known. A major limitation resides in the paucity of direct Deccan volcanism markers and in the geologically short interval where both impact and volcanism occurred, making it hard to evaluate their contributions to the mass extinction. We investigated the low magnetic susceptibility interval just below the Iridium-rich layer of the Bidart (France) section, which was recently hypothesized to be the result of palaeoenvironmental perturbations linked to paroxysmal Deccan phase-2. Results show a drastic decrease of detrital magnetite and presence of fine specular akaganeite, a hypothesized reaction product between FeCl2 from the volcanic plume with water and oxygen in the high atmosphere. A weathering model of the consequences of acidic rains on a continental regolith reveals nearly complete magnetite dissolution after about 33,000 years, which is consistent with our magnetic data and the duration of the Deccan phase-2. This discovery represents an unprecedented piece of evidence of the nature and importance of the Deccan-related environmental changes.
- Benchmarks and sediment source(s) of the 1755 Lisbon tsunami deposit at Boca do Rio EstuaryPublication . Font, Eric; Veiga-Pires, C.; Pozo, Manuel; Nave, Silvia; Costas, Susana; Ruiz, F.; Abad, Manuel; Simões, Nuno; Duarte, Sílvia; Rodriguez-Vidal, J.Standardizing the signature of tsunami deposits has been identified as a major limitation for the identification of paleo-tsunami deposits. This limitation mostly arises from the strongly source-dependent nature of these deposits, which in turn determines their composition and depositional architecture, and from the effect of the local morphology of the corresponding depositional environment. Here, we provide new highresolution mineralogical, geochemical and micro/macrofauna data of the 1755 tsunami layer of Boca do Rio estuary (Algarve, Portugal) with the aim of unraveling the signatures of estuarine tsunami deposits and linking them to possible sediment sources. We also apply for the first time diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry (DRS) analysis. Our results show that the 1755 tsunami deposit of the Boca do Rio estuary is featured by an enhancement in Sr and Ca, which are linked to the input of biogenic and detrital carbonates (shell fragments and limestone clasts) from the beach foreshore and a strong depletion in most terrestrial- and marine-sensitive indicators. The latter is interpreted as resulting from the reworking of the estuarine clays and subsequent dilution within a huge volume of sand eroded from the coastal barrier. It confirms that in the case of the Boca do Rio estuary, the sediment source is essentially proximal and coastal. Textural and mineralogical features between the base and the top of the tsunami layer suggest the imprint of run-up and backwash currents derived from a unique wave. Micro and macrofauna analysis and DRS data of the siliciclastic fraction show slight but significant environmental changes occurring just after the tsunami, which could be provoked by an eventual closure of the estuary mouth.
- Benchmarks and sediment source(s) of the 1755 Lisbon tsunami deposit at Boca do Rio EstuaryPublication . Font, Eric; Veiga-Pires, C.; Pozo, Manuel; Nave, Silvia; Costas, Susana; Muñoz, Francisco Ruiz; Abad, Manuel; Simões, Nuno; Duarte, SílviaStandardizing tite signature of tsunami deposits has been pointed as a major limitation on the identification paleo-tsunaml deposits. This limitation majorly arises from the strongly source-dependent nature of these deposits, which in turn determines their composition and Structure, and from the effect of the local morphology of the corresponding depositional environmemt. Here, we provide new high-resolution mineralogical, geochemical and paleontological data of the 1755 tsunami layer of Boca do Rio estuary (Algarve-Portugal.
- Benchmarks, sediment source and hydrodynamics of the 1755 Lisbon tsunami deposit at Boca do Rio EstuaryPublication . Font, Eric; Veiga-Pires, C.; Pozo, Manuel; Nave, Silvia; Costas, Susana; Muñoz, Francisco Ruiz; Abad, Manuel; Simões, Nuno; Duarte, SílviaStandardizing the signature of tsunami deposits has been pointed as a major limitation on the identification of paleo-tsunami deposits. This limitation majorly arises from the strongly source-dependent nature of these deposits, which in turn determines their composition and structure, and from the effect of the local morphology of the corresponding depositional environment. Here, we provide new high-resolution mineralogical, geochemical and paleontological data of the 1755 tsunami layer of Boca do Rio estuary (Algarve, Portugal) with the aim of unraveling the signatures of estuarine tsunami deposit and link them to sediment source.
- Identification of Tsunami deposits and their impact on coastal zones : a study case of the Boca do Rio estuary (Algarve , Portugal)Publication . Font, Eric; Veiga-Pires, C.; Pozo, Manuel; Nave, Silvia; Costas, Susana; Muñoz, Francisco Ruiz; Abad, ManuelTsunamis are unforeseeable phenomena and therefore one of the most devastating natural disasters in terms of human and economic losses. Their impact on coastal and nearshore zones is substantial and need to be accurately evaluated to improve their prevention and management. In the last decades, numerous investigations focused on the identification of paleotsunamis in order to evaluate their frequency in the geological record. However, because storm- and tsunami-deposits are generated by similar depositional mechanisms, their discrimination using classic sedimentological methods is an elusive prospect. A promising approach is to couple classic geological criteria with geophysical and geochemical proxies to search for new benchmarks of tsunami deposits and to integrate them into a multi-disciplinary study. To test our method, we investigate the 1755 Lisbon tsunami deposit from the Boca do Rio estuary and other Tsunami-induced deposits from Algarve (Portugal). First results show that, Sr and Ca are enriched in the tsunami layer probably linked to the presence of shelled organism. Contrarily, others marine seawater indicators, such as Ba and Br, which are usually more concentrated in brackish than in fresh water, and heavy minerals, which are generally used as high energy event indicators, are depleted in the Tsunami deposit. Very low magnetic susceptibility values for the Tsunami deposit also indicate a dilution of iron oxides, reworked from the estuarine clays, within the huge volumes of quartz and carbonate (i.e. diamagnetic), issued from the abrasion of the littoral sandy dune and the surrounding carbonated cliffs. Diffusive Reflective Spectrophotometry analyses show changes in the siliclastic fraction on the sediments from above and below the tsunami layer. These apparent colour variations seem linked to the deposition of finer siliclastic particles after the tsunami, rather than to mineralogical composition. These data suggest that the high energy event affected the geomorphology of the estuary in such a way that it could induce a mis-interpretation of the geological record regarding local sea level changes and coastal evolution history.
- Magnetic fingerprint of southern Portuguese speleothems and implications for paleo- and environmental magnetismPublication . Font, Eric; Veiga-Pires, C.; Pozo, Manuel; Carvallo, Claire; De Siqueira Neto, António Carlos; Camps, Pierre; Fabre, Sébastien; Mirão, JoséEnvironmental magnetism of speleothems is still in its early stage of development. Here we report on our investigation of the environmental and paleomagnetic information that has been recorded in speleothems, and what are the factors that control its preservation and reliability. To address these issues, we used a multidisciplinary approach, including rock magnetism, petrography, scanning electron microscopy, stable carbon and oxygen isotope compositions, and major and trace element concentrations. We applied this to a set of samples from different stages of speleothem evolution: present-day dripwater (glass plates), a weathered stalactite, a fresh stalagmite, cave sediments, and terra rossa soils. These samples come from the Penico and Excentricas caves, located in two distinct aquifers of the Algarve region, South Portugal. Our results show that the main magnetic carriers of the speleothems under study are primary (detrital) and consist of maghemite (and magnetite?). Similarities in coercivity and temperature dependence of the studied set of samples suggest that iron oxides are inherited from the terra rossa soils that cap the cave and were transported to the speleothems by dripwater. Hence, they represent a regional environmental signature. Interestingly, a stable and probably detrital remanent magnetization could be isolated in the fresh stalagmite, whereas the weathered stalactite yielded chaotic magnetic directions and very low remanent intensities. We propose that these low intensities can be the result from(i) different remanence acquisition mechanisms between stalagmite and stalactite and/or (ii) iron dissolution by fungal activity. We also suggest that magnetic properties and color and the content in detrital elements in the fresh speleothem inform about environmental processes acting on the interface of rock (soil)-atmosphere, while oxygen isotope composition and alkaline-earth element concentrations inform about calcite-water interaction processes. These results provide a better understanding of how environmental information is recorded in speleothems and what the factors are that control the reliability of the paleomagnetic and paleo-environmental signal.
- Magnetic fingerprints of stalagmitesPublication . Font, Eric; Veiga-Pires, C.; Camps, Pierre; Carvallo, Claire; Neto, António; Pozo, Manuel; Mirão, JoséDating stalagmite usi ng paleomagnetic methods is still in its early stage of development. Questions still remain regarding the nature and origin of the magnetic carriers and the reliability of the natural remanent magnetization preserved within the thin carbonat ed laminations of stalagmites. Here we apply high - resolution rock - and paleo - magnetic methods on two (altered and preserved) stalagmites in order to identify the magnetic and mineralogical signatures and to assess the stability of the remanence.
- Morpho-sedimentary evidence of Holocene tsunamis in Southwestern Spain estuaries: a summaryPublication . Ruiz, F.; Rodriguez-Vidal, J.; Cáceres, L. M.; Carretero, M. I.; Pozo, Manuel; Gómez-Toscano, F.; Izquierdo, T.; Font, Eric; Guerra, Liliana; Veiga-Pires, C.; Abad, ManuelLos estuarios constituyen sistemas costeros excelentes para registrar tsunamis a través de un amplio tipo de evidencias geológicas. Este trabajo revisa y resume las evidencias de tsunamis prehistóricos e históricos en los quatro principales estuarios del suroeste de España. Las más frecuentes son erosión de playas y retroceso del litoral, ruptura y desbordamiento de flechas arenosas y depósito de capas bioclásticas. En la actualidad, estas características se encuentran particularmente bien estudiadas en los estuarios del Tinto-Odiel, Guadalquivir y Guadalete, mientras que son necesarios trabajos más detallados en el sector de influencia marina del estuario del Rio Guadiana.
- Testing rock magnetic and AMS methods in tsunami and storm-induced depositsPublication . Font, Eric; Duarte, Sílvia; Veiga-Pires, C.; Simões, Nuno; Muñoz, Francisco Ruiz; Abad, Manuel; Pozo, Manuel; Nave, Silvia; Costas, Susana; Rebelo, LuisStorm- and tsunami-deposits are generated by similar depositional mechanisms making their discrimination hard to establish using classic sedimentologic methods. A promising approach is to use rock magnetism techniques to search for new physical benchmarks of tsunami deposits and to integrate them into a multi-disciplinary study. To test our method, we investigate the 1755 Lisbon tsunami deposit from the Boca do Rio estuary and other Tsunami-induced deposits from Algarve (Portugal) and Huelva (Spain), as well as storm-like deposits for comparison. Magnetic methods repose on bulk (magnetic susceptibility, SIRM, Hc) and directional (AMS, paleomagnetism) magnetic properties.