A catalogue of major and trace element data for Icelandic Holocene silicic tephra layers |
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| Authors: | RH H Meara TH Thordarson N J G Pearce C Hayward G Larsen |
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| Institution: | 1. Geography Department, Wallace Building, Swansea University, SA1 8PP, UK;2. Institute of Earth Sciences, Building of Natural Sciences, IS-101, Reykjavík, Iceland;3. Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, SY23 3DB, UK;4. School of GeoSciences, Grant Institute, Kings Buildings, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FE, UK |
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| Abstract: | Tephra layers with Icelandic provenance have been identified across the North Atlantic region in terrestrial, lacustrine, marine and glacial environments. These tephra layers are used as marker horizons in tephrochronology including climate studies, archaeology and environmental change. The major element chemistries of 19 proximally deposited Holocene Icelandic silicic tephra layers confirm that individual volcanic systems have unique geochemical signatures and that eruptions from the same system can often be distinguished. In addition, glass trace element chemistry highlights subtle geochemical variations between tephra layers which appear to have identical major element chemistry and thus allows for the identification of some, if not all, tephra layers previously considered identical in composition. This paper catalogues the compositional variation between the widespread Holocene Icelandic silicic tephra deposits. |
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| Keywords: | Iceland major element tephra tephrochronology trace element |
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