Benthien Albert

No Thumbnail Available
Last Name
Benthien
First Name
Albert
ORCID

Filters

2006 - 2008 2
1 1
2
Reset filters

Settings

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Preprint
    Rapid lateral particle transport in the Argentine Basin : molecular C-14 and Th-230(xs) evidence
    ( 2006-05-06) Mollenhauer, Gesine ; McManus, Jerry F. ; Benthien, Albert ; Muller, Peter J. ; Eglinton, Timothy I.
    Recent studies have revealed that lateral transport and focusing of particles strongly influences the depositional patterns of organic matter in marine sediments. Transport can occur in the water column prior to initial deposition or following sediment re-suspension. In both cases, fine-grained particles and organic-rich aggregates are more susceptible to lateral transport than coarse-grained particles (e.g. foraminiferal tests) because of the slower sinking velocities of the former. This may lead to spatial and, in the case of redistribution of resuspended sediments, temporal decoupling of organic matter from coarser sediment constituents. Prior studies from the Argentine Basin have yielded evidence that suspended particles are displaced significant distances (100 - 1000 km) northward and downslope by strong surface and/or bottom currents. These transport processes result in anomalously cold alkenone-derived sea surface temperature (SST) estimates (up to 6°C colder than measured SST) and in the presence of frustules of Antarctic diatom species in surface sediments fromthis area. Here we examine advective transport processes through combined measurements of compound-specific radiocarbon ages of marine phytoplankton derived biomarkers (alkenones) from core-tops and excess 230Th (230Thxs)-derived focusing factors for late Holocene sediments from the Argentine Basin. On the continental slope, we observe 230Thxs-based focusing factors of 1.4 to 3.2 at sites where alkenone-based SST estimates were 4–6°C colder than measured values. In contrast, alkenone radiocarbon data suggest coeval deposition of marine biomarkers and planktic foraminifera, as alkenones in core-tops were younger than, or similar in age to, foraminifera. We therefore infer that the transport processes leading to the lateral displacement of these sediment components are rapid, and hence probably occur in the upper water column (<1500 m).
  • Article
    Antarctic sediment chronology by programmed-temperature pyrolysis : methodology and data treatment
    (American Geophysical Union, 2008-04-02) Rosenheim, Brad E. ; Day, Mary Beth ; Domack, Eugene ; Schrum, Heather ; Benthien, Albert ; Hayes, John M.
    We report a detailed programmed-temperature pyrolysis/combustion methodology for radiocarbon (14C) dating of Antarctic sub-ice shelf sediments. The method targets the autochthonous organic component in sediments that contain a distribution of acid-insoluble organic components from several sources of different ages. The approach has improved sediment chronology in organic-rich sediments proximal to Antarctic ice shelves by yielding maximum age constraints significantly younger than bulk radiocarbon dates from the same sediment horizons. The method proves adequate in determining isotope ratios of the pre-aged carbon end-member; however, the isotopic compositions of the low-temperature measurements indicate that no samples completely avoided mixing with some proportion of pre-aged organic material. Dating the unresolved but desired young end-member must rely on indirect methods, but a simple mixing model cannot be developed without knowledge of the sedimentation rate or comparable constraints. A mathematical approach allowing for multiple mixing components yields a maximum likelihood age, a first-order approximation of the relative proportion of the autochthonous component, and the temperature at which allochthonous carbon begins to volatilize and mix with the autochthonous component. It is likely that our estimation of the cutoff temperature will be improved with knowledge of the pyrolysis kinetics of the major components. Chronology is improved relative to bulk acid-insoluble organic material ages from nine temperature interval dates down to two, but incorporation of inherently more pre-aged carbon in the first division becomes more apparent with fewer and larger temperature intervals.