Methodological studies on luminescence dating of volcanic ashes     

《Quaternary Geochronology》2013

We report here the results of a feasibility study of luminescence dating of polymineralic volcanic ash. Of the several possible protocols that used different emission bands and different IR stimulation regimes, the post infrared-infrared stimulated luminescence (pIR-IRSL) signal (detected using a violet-blue emission window with stimulation temperature in the region 260–320 °C) provided the most stable signal. This involved, i) identification of the most suitable temperature for pIR-IRSL read out, ii) determination of alpha efficiency and, iii) estimation of anomalous (athermal) fading rate. Anomalous fading rate (g-value in %/decade) of pIR-IRSL signal at 300 °C was 0.0–1.6%/decade and it ranged from 2.4 to 5.2%/decade for IRSL at 50 °C, both preheated to 320 °C. Thus, though more stable, pIR-IRSL signals may fade in nature, and even during laboratory extended irradiation. Of the models for fading correction by Huntley and Lamothe (2001) and Kars et al. (2008), the Kars et al. (2008) model performed better as the natural luminescence intensity was closer to the onset of saturation in the luminescence dose response curve. Our measurements suggest that alpha efficiencies of the pIR-IRSL signals are higher than that of IRSL. Fading corrected pIR-IRSL single aliquot regeneration (SAR) protocol based ages on three of the five volcanic ash beds are in agreement with the expected ages of ∼74 ka, based on geochemical association of the present samples to be the Youngest Toba Tuff (YTT). Other ash samples that gave ages of <24 ka and <37 ka, were inferred to have been in their secondary context, reworked from their original depositional sites. The onset of saturation dose of the pIR-IRSL signal (D₀) was ∼330 Gy and this implied a maximum measurable equivalent dose of 660 Gy. The minimum detectable dose was ∼5 Gy. These dose limits correspond to a typical age range of 1–150 ka using the pIR-IRSL signal for volcanic ashes.  相似文献   

Distinction between the Youngest Toba Tuff and Oldest Toba Tuff from northern Sumatra based on the area density of spontaneous fission tracks in their glass shards     

John A. Westgate  Nicholas J.G. Pearce  Emma Gatti  Hema Achyuthan 《Quaternary Research》2014

Determination of the area density of spontaneous fission tracks (ρ_s) in glass shards of Toba tephra is a reliable way to distinguish between the Youngest Toba Tuff (YTT) and the Oldest Toba Tuff (OTT). The ρ_s values for YTT, uncorrected for partial track fading, range from 70 to 181 tracks/cm² with a weighted mean of 108 ± 5 tracks/cm², based on 15 samples. Corrected ρ_s values for YTT are in the range of 77–140 tracks/cm² with a weighted mean of 113 ± 8 tracks/cm², within the range of uncorrected ρ_s values. No significant difference in ρ_s exists between YTT samples collected from marine and continental depositional settings. The uncorrected ρ_s for OTT is 1567 ± 114 tracks/cm² so that confusion with YTT is unlikely.  相似文献   

Tephra glass chemistry provides storage and discharge details of five magma reservoirs which fed the 75 ka Youngest Toba Tuff eruption,northern Sumatra     

Nicholas J.G. Pearce  John A. Westgate  Guilherme A.R. Gualda  Emma Gatti  Ros F. Muhammad 《第四纪科学杂志》2020,35(1-2):256-271

The Youngest Toba Tuff contains five distinct glass populations, identified from Ba, Sr and Y compositions, termed PI (lowest Ba) – PV (highest Ba), representing five compositionally distinct pre-eruptive magma batches that fed the eruption. The PI–PV compositions display systematic changes, with higher FeO, CaO, MgO, TiO₂ and lower incompatible element concentrations in the low-SiO₂ PIV/PV, than the high-SiO₂ PI–PIII compositions. Glass shard abundances indicate PIV and PV were the least voluminous magma batches, and PI and PIII the most voluminous. Pressure estimates using rhyolite-MELTS indicate PV magma equilibrated at ~6 km, and PI magma at ~3.8 km. Glass population proportions in distal tephra and proximal (caldera-wall) material describe an eruption which commenced by emptying the deepest PIV and PV reservoirs, this being preferentially deposited in a narrow band across southern India (possibly due to jet-stream and/or plinian eruption transport), and as abundant pumice clasts in the lowermost proximal ignimbrites. Later, shallower magma reservoirs erupted, with PI being the most abundant as the eruption ended, sourcing the majority of distal ash from co-ignimbrite clouds (PI- and PIII-dominant), where associated ignimbrites isolated earlier (PIV- and PV-rich) deposits. This study shows how analysis of tephra glass compositional data can yield pre-eruption magma volume estimates, and enable aspects of magma storage conditions and eruption dynamics to be described.  相似文献   

Tephrochronology of the Toba tuffs: four primary glass populations define the 75‐ka Youngest Toba Tuff,northern Sumatra,Indonesia     

J. A. WESTGATE  N. J. G. PEARCE  W. T. PERKINS  S. J. PREECE  C. A. CHESNER  R. F. MUHAMMAD 《第四纪科学杂志》2013,28(8):772-776

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Occurrence of volcanic ash in the Quaternary alluvial deposits,lower Narmada basin,western India     

Rachna Raj 《Journal of Earth System Science》2008,117(1):41-48

This communication reports the occurrence of an ash layer intercalated within the late Quaternary alluvial succession of the Madhumati River, a tributary of the lower Narmada River. Petrographic, morphological and chemical details of glass shards and pumice fragments have formed the basis of this study. The ash has been correlated with the Youngest Toba Tuff. The finding of ash layer interbedded in Quaternary alluvial sequences of western Indian continental margin is significant, as ash being datable material, a near precise time-controlled stratigraphy can be interpreted for the Quaternary sediments of western India. The distant volcanic source of this ash requires a fresh re-assessment of ash volume and palaeoclimatic interpretations.  相似文献   

Palaeoenvironmental response to the ∼74 ka Toba ash-fall in the Jurreru and Middle Son valleys in southern and north-central India     

Sacha Claire Jones 《Quaternary Research》2010,73(2):336-104

Distal deposits of rhyolitic volcanic ash from the ∼74 ka “supervolcanic” eruption of Toba, in northern Sumatra, are preserved in numerous river valleys across peninsular India. The Toba eruption is hypothesized to have resulted in climate change and the devastation of ecosystems and hominin populations. This study reports the results of the analysis of sediments and stratigraphical sequences from sites in the Jurreru and Middle Son valleys in southern and north-central India. The aim of the study is to determine the extent of palaeoenvironmental change in both valleys as a result of the ash-fall. Inferences based on evidence from the Jurreru valley are more detailed, where pre- and post-Toba palaeoenvironmental changes are divided into seven phases. The results indicate that ash-fall deposits in both valleys underwent several phases of reworking that possibly lasted for several years, indicating that ash was mobile in the landscape for a considerable period of time prior to burial. This could have enhanced and lengthened the detrimental effects of the ash on vegetation and water sources, as well as animal and hominin populations.  相似文献