Journal
PALAIOS
Volume 30, Issue 1, Pages 66-82Publisher
SEPM-SOC SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY
DOI: 10.2110/palo.2013.061
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Funding
- Marie Curie Actions Plan, Seventh Framework Program of the European Union [237922]
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Two late Miocene Tridacna (giant clam) shells from East Kalimantan (Indonesia) were investigated in order to evaluate their potential as subannually resolved paleoenvironmental archives. Via a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) trace element analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging, pristine versus diagenetically altered domains within the shells were identified. LA-ICPMS transects targeting altered aragonite and calcite zones reveal distinct compositional differences in elemental ratios (B/Ca, Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca/Ba/Ca, Mn/Ca, Al/Ca, La/Ca, Ce/Ca) relative to primary shell aragonite. Pristine shell domains are characterized by an intact banding pattern of alternating dark and light growth bands, with which spatially resolved LA-ICPMS element/Ca and micromilled delta O-18 records were aligned. Light delta O-18 values correspond to dark growth bands, indicating growth during warm seasons. The Mg/Ca and/or Sr/Ca ratios covary with oscillating stable oxygen isotope profiles. Progressive increase in Mg/Ca with age demonstrates that besides temperature, growth kinetics exert control over Mg incorporation. If interpreted as temperature controlled only, delta O-18 from both shells represents average seasonal sea-surface temperature (SST) variability of 2.7 +/- 2.1 and 4.6 +/- 1.7 degrees C, respectively. Using published temperature equations and assuming delta O-18(sw) = -0.88 parts per thousand, corresponding mean annual paleo-sea-surface temperatures of 27.8 +/- 0.2 and 28.5 +/- 0.2 degrees C are estimated. Although the fossil Tridacna shells were noticeably affected by alteration on their external surfaces, their internal aragonitic structure is, to a large extent, well preserved. These corresponding paleoproxy records provide detailed insight into tropical SST variability of the Indo-Pacific region during the late Miocene.
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