Paleoclimate archives are generally dated using two main methods: radiocarbon and uranium-thorium dating. 14C dating tends to be more accurate, however, it can only be used on samples that are less than around 50,000 years old. Whereas U-Th dating can be used for the last 500,000 years.
Isobar Science and Beta Analytic’s paleclimatology webinar focuses on the importance of C-14 and U-Th dating in paleoclimatology, and how archives can be used to reconstruct past climate.
The origin and movement of atmospheric dust can be estimated by analysing the geochemistry of dust collected directly from the atmosphere or from the dust layers found within ice cores or lacustrine and ocean sediment cores.
Shells, corals and other carbonates are widely used in order to assess variability in climate and environmental conditions in time. A variety of stable and radioactive isotopes can be used to date these samples and provide further information on environmental context during their lifespan.
Different isotopes on bone samples may be measured, depending on the scope of the research, and which questions the researcher is seeking to answer.
The most optimal samples for accurate U-Th dating are those that exist in closed systems, including speleothems and corals. In some cases, bones and lake sediments may also be used, but the state of your samples should be carefully considered prior to planning your analysis and interpreting U-Th dating results.
U-Th dating is an analytical method used to date calcium carbonate (CaCO3) bearing samples, including cave deposits/speleothems, CaCO3 rock, corals, shells and (in some cases) bones.
Continental weathering is an important part of the global carbon cycle. The measurements of strontium and neodymium isotopes have been especially important in this research domain.
The study of past climates (paleoclimatology) offers an opportunity to improve the predictability of future climate change. The stable isotopes of boron (δ11B) and oxygen (δ18O) are two important variables used to reconstruct climate in a variety of natural archives.
Understanding the movement of herbivores across a landscape and ecological dynamics through time is important for current conservation and ecosystem management, while providing valuable insights into evolution and adaptation. Documented historical evidence in the relationship between organisms and their surrounding vegetation is generally limited and thus isotopic analysis of fossils can provide valuable insights into this important area of research.