Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-lrblm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-21T21:32:45.389Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Speleothems, Travertines, and Paleoclimates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

G. J. Hennig ,
R. Grün  and
K. Brunnacker
G. J. Hennig
Affiliation:
Geologisches Institut der Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Strasse 49, D-5000 Köln-1, Federal Republic of Germany
R. Grün
Affiliation:
Geologisches Institut der Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Strasse 49, D-5000 Köln-1, Federal Republic of Germany
K. Brunnacker
Affiliation:
Geologisches Institut der Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Strasse 49, D-5000 Köln-1, Federal Republic of Germany
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Age data for about 660 speleothems and about 140 spring-deposited travertines were collected, including many unpublished results. These data were plotted as histograms and also as error-weighted frequency curves on a 350,000-yr scale. These plots clearly show periods of increased speleothem/travertine growth as well as times of cessation. The periods of most frequent speleothem growth were between approximately 130,000 and 90,000 yr ago and since about 15,000 yr ago. Such periods before 150,000 yr ago, however, cannot be yet recognized because of a lack of sufficient data and the associated uncertainties of dates in this age range. A comparison with the oxygen-isotope record of deep-sea core V28–:238 shows a clear relationship, indicating that terrestrial calcite formation is controlled by paleoclimatic fluctuations. The evident climatic stimulation of Quaternary calcite formation is readily explained geochemically and is substantiated by the obvious difference in speleothem/travertine growth as a function of geographic position.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , July 1983 , pp. 1 - 29
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Atkinson, T.C., Harmon, R.S., Smart, P.L., Waltham, A.C.. 1978. Paleoclimatic and geomorphic implications of 230Th234U dates on speleothems from Britain. Nature (London) 272. 24–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Atkinson, T.C., Smith, D.I.. 1976. The erosion of limestones. The Science of Speleology. Ford, T.D., Cullingford, C.H.D.. Academic Press, New York. 151–177.Google Scholar
Bauer, E.. 1969. Höhlen—Welt ohne SonneRavensburger Taschenbuchverlag Nr. 565, Ravensburg.Google Scholar
Brunnacker, K.. 1963. Die Sedimente in der Höhlenrinne von Hunas (Nördliche Frankenalp). Eiszeitalter und Gegenwart 14. 117–120.Google Scholar
Cherdyntsev, V.V., Kazachevskiy, I.V., Kuzmina, Y.A.. 1965. Dating of Pleistocene carbonate formations by the thorium and uranium isotopes. Geokhimiya 9. 1085–1092. [translation.].Google Scholar
Cherdyntsev, V., Senina, N., Kuzmina, E.A.. 1975. Die Altersbestimming der Travertine von Weimar-Ehringsdorf. Abh. Zentr. Geol. Inst. 23. 7–14.Google Scholar
Dansgaard, W., Johnsen, S.J., Møller, J., Langway, C.C. Jr.. 1969. One Thousand centuries of climatic record from Camp Century on the Greenland ice sheet. Science 166. 377–380.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dreybrodt, W.. 1980. Deposition of calcite from thin film of natural calcareous solutions and the growth of speleothems. Chemical Geology 29. 89–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duplessy, J.C., Labeyrie, J., Lalou, C., Nguyen, H.V.. 1970. Continental climatic variations between 130,000 and 90,000 years BP. Nature (London) 226. 631–633.Google Scholar
Emiliani, E.. 1978. The cause of the Ice Ages. Earch and Planetary Science Letters 37. 349–352.Google Scholar
Fanditis, J., Ehhalt, D.H.. 1970. Variations of the carbon and oxygen isotopic composition in stalagmites and stalactites: Evidence of nonequilibrium isotopic fractionation. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 10. 136–144.Google Scholar
Fornaca-Rinaldi, G.. 1968. 230Th234Th Dating of cave concretions. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 5. 120–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Franke, H.W.. 1971. Morphologie und Stratigraphic des Tropfsteins—Rückschlüsse auf Grössen des Paläoklimas. Geologisches Jahrbuch 1971. 473–501.Google Scholar
Gascoyne, M.. 1981a. A climate record of the Yorkshire Dales for the last 300,000 years Proceedings, 8th International Congress of Speleology 96–98.Google Scholar
Gascoyne, M.. 1981b. Rates of cave passage entrenchment and valley lowering determined from speleothem age measurements Proceedings, 8th International Congress of Speleology 99–100.Google Scholar
Gascoyne, M., Benjamin, G.J., Schwarcz, H.P., Ford, D.C.. 1979. Sea-level lowering during the Illinoian glaciation: Evidence from a bahama “Blue Hole”. Science 205. 806–808.Google Scholar
Gascoyne, M., Currant, A.P., Lord, T.C.. 1981. Ipswichian fauna of Victoria Cave and the marine paleoclimatic record. Nature (London) 294. 652–654.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gascoyne, M., Latham, A.G.. 1981. The antiquity of Castleguard Cave as established by uranium-series dating of speleothems Proceedings, 8th International Congress of Speleology 101–103.Google Scholar
Geyh, M.A.. 1970. Zeitliche Abgrenzungen von Klimaänderungen mit C-14 Daten. Beihefte Geologisches Jahrbuch 98. 15–22.Google Scholar
Glazek, J., Harmon, R.S.. 1981. Radiometric dating of polish cave speleothems: Current results Proceedings, 8th International Congress of Speleology 424–427.Google Scholar
Green, H.S., Stringer, C.B., Collcut, S.N., Currant, A.P., Huxtable, J., Schwarcz, H.P., Debenham, N., Embleton, C., Bull, P., Molleson, T.I., Bevins, R.E.. 1981. Pontnewydd Cave in Wales—A new middle Pleistocene hominid site. Nature (London) 294. 707–713.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grün, R., Brunnacker, K., Hennig, G.J.. 1982. 230Th 234U-Daten mittelund jungpleistozäner Travertine im Raum Stuttgart. Jahresberichte und Mitteilungen des Oberrheinischen Geologischen Vereins, N.F. 64. 201–211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harmon, R.S.. 1979a. Late Pleistocene Paleotemperatures in North America as Inferred from Isotopic Variations in Speleothems. PhD. thesis. Department of Geology, McMaster University, Hamilton.Google Scholar
Harmon, R.S.. 1979b. U-series dating of speleothems and a-glacial chronology for western North America. NSS Bulletin 41. 102–104.Google Scholar
Harmon, R.S., Ford, D.C., Schwarcz, H.P.. 1977. Interglacial chronology of the Rocky and Mackenzie Mountains based upon 230Th234U dating of calcite speleothems. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 14. 2543–2552.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harmon, R.S., Glazek, J., Nowak, K.. 1980. 230Th234U dating of travertine from the Bilzingsleben archaeological site. Nature (London) 284. 132–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harmon, R.S., Ku, T.L., Matthews, R.K., Smart, P.L.. 1979. Limits of the U-series analysis: Phase 1 results of the uranium-series intercomparison project. Geology 7. 405–409.Google Scholar
Harmon, R.S., Land, L.S., Mitterer, R.M., Garrett, P., Schwarcz, H.P., Larson, G.J.. 1981. Bermuda sea level during the last interglacial. Nature (London) 289. 481–483.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harmon, R.S., Schwarcz, H.P., Ford, D.C.. 1978a. Stable isotope geochemistry of speleothems and cave waters from the Flint Ridge-Mammoth Cave system Kentucky: Implications for terrestical climate change during the period 230,000 to 100,000 years B.P.. Journal of Geology 86. 373–384.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harmon, R.S., Schwarcz, H.P., Thompson, P., Ford, D.C.. 1978b. Critical comment on “uranium series dating of stalagmites from Blanchard Springs Caverns, Arkansas, U.S.A.”. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 42. 433–439.Google Scholar
Hendy, C.H.. 1971. The isotopic geochemistry of speleothems. Part 1—The calculation of the effects of different modes of formation on the isotopic composition of speleothems and their applicability as paleoclimatic indicators. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 35. 801–824.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hendy, C.H., Wilson, A.T.. 1968. Paleoclimatic data from speleothems. Nature (London) 219. 48–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hennig, G.J.. 1979. Beiträge zur Th-230 U-234 - Altersbestimmung von Höhlensintern sowie ein Vergleich der erzielten Ergebnisse mit denen anderer Absolutdatierungsmethoden. Dissertation. Universität zu Köln, Köln.Google Scholar
Hennig, G.J., Bangert, U., Herr, W., Freundlich, J.. 1980a. Uranium series dating of calcite formations in caves: Recent results and a comparative study on age determinations via 230Th234U, 14C, TL and ESR. Revue d'Archaeometric 4. 91–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hennig, G.J., Bangert, U., Herr, W.. 1980b. Dating of speleothems by disequilibrium in the U-decay series Proceedings of the 19th International Symposium on Archaeometry and Archaeological ProspectionLondon, March 28–31, 1979. British Museum Occasional Papers. Burleigh, R. Vol. 10. British Museum Research Laboratory, London. 73–83.Google Scholar
Hess, J. W., Harmon, R. S. In “Proceedings, 8th International Congress of Speleology,” pp. 433–436.Google Scholar
Ikeya, M.. 1978. Spin-resonance ages of brown rings in cave deposits. Naturwissenschaften 65. 489.Google Scholar
Jakucs, L.. 1977. Morphogenetics of Karst Regions, Variants of Karst Evolution. Hilger, Bristol.Google Scholar
Koenigswald, W.v.. 1973. Lagurus lagurus im jungpleistozänen Travertin des Biedermannschen Steinbruchs (Stuttgart-Untertürkheim). Neues Jahrbuch feur Geologie und Palaeontologie, Monatshefte 1973. 667–673.Google Scholar
Krolopp, E.. 1977. Absolute chronological data of the Quaternary sediments in Hungary. Foeldr. Koezl. 101. 230–232.Google Scholar
Ku, T.L., Bull, W.G., Freeman, S.T., Knauss, K.G.. 1979. 230Th234U Dating of pedogenetic carbonates in gravel desert soils of Vidal Valley, Southeastern California. Geological Society of America Bulletin 90. 1063–1073.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ku, T.L., Joshi, L.U.. 1981. Measurements of 238U and 230Th in impure carbonates for age determination. Journal of Radioanalytical Chemistry 67. 351–358.Google Scholar
Lively, R.S., Alexander, E.C., Milske, J.. 1981. A late Pleistocene chronologic record in Southeastern Minnesota Proceedings, 8th International Congress of Speleology 623–626.Google Scholar
Moore, G.W.. 1956. Aragonite speleothems as indicators of paleotemperature. American Journal of Science 254. 746.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moore, G.W., Sullivan, G.N.. 1978 2nd ed. Speleology—The Study of Caves. Zephyrus, Teaneck.Google Scholar
Müller, H.. 1974a. Pollenanalytische Untersuchungen und Jahresschichtenzählungen an der eem-zeitlichen Kieselgur von Bispingen/Luhe. Geologisches Jahrbuch A21. 149–169.Google Scholar
Müller, H.. 1974b. Pollenanalytische Untersuchgen und Jahresschichtenzählungen an der holsteinzeitlichen Kieselgur von Munster-Brehloh. Geologisches Jahrbuch A21. 107–140.Google Scholar
Nguyen, H.V., Lalou, C.. 1969. Comportement géochimique des isotopes des families de l'uranium et du thorium dans les concrétionements de grottes: application á la datation des stalagmites. Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des seances de l'Academie des Sciences Serie D: Sciences Natyralles 269. 560–563.Google Scholar
Nguyen, H.V., Lang, J., Elbez, G., Lalou, C., Lucas, G.. 1973. Existence d'un désequilibre élevé entre les isotopes de l'uranium. Influence sur la datation des travertines de Bamian (Afghanistan Central) par la méthode 230Th234U. Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Seances de l'Academie 276. 2233–2236.Google Scholar
Pecsi, M.. 1973. Geomorphological position and absolute age of the lower paleolithic site at Vértesszöllös, Hungary. Foeldr. Koezl. 97. 109–119.Google Scholar
Schwarcz, H.P.. 1980. Absolute age determination of archaeological sites by uranium series dating of travertines. Archaeometry 22. 3–24.Google Scholar
Schwarcz, H.P., Blackwell, B., Goldberg, P., Marks, A.E.. 1979. Uranium series dating of travertine from archaeological sites, Nahal Zin, Israel. Nature (London) 277. 558–560.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schwarcz, H.P., Debenath, A.. 1979. Datation absolue des restes humains de la Chaise-de-Vouthon (Charente) au moyen du déséquilibre des séries d'uranium. Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Seances de l'Academie des Sciences, Serie D 288. 1155–1157.Google Scholar
Schwarcz, H.P., Goldberg, P.D., Blackwell, B.. 1980. Uranium series dating of archaeological sites in Israel. Israel Journal of Earth Sciences 29. 157–165.Google Scholar
Schwarcz, H.P., Harmon, R.S., Thompson, P., Ford, D.C.. 1976. Stable isotope studies of fluid inclusions in speleothems and their paleoclimatical significance. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 40. 657–665.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shackleton, N.J., Opdyke, N.D.. 1973. Oxygen isotope and paleomagnetic stratigraphy of equatorial Pacific core V28–:238: Oxygen isotope temperatures and ice volumes of a 105 Quaternary Researchyear and 106 year scale 3. 39–55.Google Scholar
Spalding, R.F., Mathews, T.D.. 1972. Stalagmites from caves in the Bahamas: Indicators of low sea level stand. Quaternary Research 2. 470–472.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, G.M., Lumsden, D.N., Walker, R.L., Carter, J.A.. 1975a. Uranium series dating of stalagmites from Blanchard Springs Caverns, U.S.A.. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 39. 1211–1218.Google Scholar
Thompson, P., Ford, D.C., Schwarcz, H.P.. 1975b. U234U238 ratios in limestone cave seepage waters and speleothem from West Virginia. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 39. 661–669.Google Scholar
Thompson, P., Schwarcz, H.P., Ford, D.C.. 1974. Continental Pleistocene climatic variations from speleothem age data. Science 184. 893–895.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, P., Schwarcz, H.P., Ford, D.C.. 1976. Stable isotope geochemistry, geothermometry, and geochronology of speleothems from West Virginia. Geological Society of America Bulletin 87. 1730–1738.Google Scholar
Trimmel, H.. 1953. Beobachtungen über die Ausbildung von Sintergenerationen in österreichischen Höhlen. Die Höhle 4. 6–10.Google Scholar
Troll, C.. 1964. Karte der Jahreszeiten-Klimate der Erde. Erdkunde 18. 5–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waltham, A.C.. 1977. Die Wunderwelt der Höhlen in Farbe. Südwest Verlag, München.Google Scholar
Wintle, A.G.. 1978. A thermoluminescence study of some Quaternary calcite: Potential and problems. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 15. 1977–1986.Google Scholar
Wintle, A.G., Brunnacker, K.. 1982. Ages of volcanic tuff in Rheinhessen obtained by thermoluminescence dating of the loess in which they occur. Naturwissenschaften 69. 181–182.CrossRefGoogle Scholar