Mineral dust is a natural tracer of atmospheric composition and climate variability. Yet, there is still much to be known about the Southern Hemisphere dust cycle. Major efforts have attempted to solve the puzzle of the origin of the potential source areas contributing dust to the Southern Ocean and East Antarctica. Here we present a comprehensive geochemical characterization of a source area, whose role as a dust supplier to high latitude environments has significantly been underestimated. Sediments collected within the major dust-producing areas along the Namibian coast in Southern Africa (Kuiseb, Omaruru and Huab river catchments and the Namib Sand Sea region), were analyzed for radiogenic isotope ratios and rare earth element concentrations. We find that during warm periods, the Southern African dust signature can be found in archives of the Southern Hemisphere, especially in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean and peripheral areas of the East Antarctic plateau.

Gili, S., Vanderstraeten, A., Chaput, A., King, J., Gaiero, D., Delmonte, B., et al. (2022). South African dust contribution to the high southern latitudes and East Antarctica during interglacial stages. COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT, 3(1 (December 2022)) [10.1038/s43247-022-00464-z].

South African dust contribution to the high southern latitudes and East Antarctica during interglacial stages

Delmonte B.;
2022

Abstract

Mineral dust is a natural tracer of atmospheric composition and climate variability. Yet, there is still much to be known about the Southern Hemisphere dust cycle. Major efforts have attempted to solve the puzzle of the origin of the potential source areas contributing dust to the Southern Ocean and East Antarctica. Here we present a comprehensive geochemical characterization of a source area, whose role as a dust supplier to high latitude environments has significantly been underestimated. Sediments collected within the major dust-producing areas along the Namibian coast in Southern Africa (Kuiseb, Omaruru and Huab river catchments and the Namib Sand Sea region), were analyzed for radiogenic isotope ratios and rare earth element concentrations. We find that during warm periods, the Southern African dust signature can be found in archives of the Southern Hemisphere, especially in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean and peripheral areas of the East Antarctic plateau.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Dust, South Africa, Holocene, Antarctica
English
9-giu-2022
2022
3
1 (December 2022)
129
open
Gili, S., Vanderstraeten, A., Chaput, A., King, J., Gaiero, D., Delmonte, B., et al. (2022). South African dust contribution to the high southern latitudes and East Antarctica during interglacial stages. COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT, 3(1 (December 2022)) [10.1038/s43247-022-00464-z].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/403395
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