Earth Surface Processes Practical Week 3

Part 1

Magnetic Susceptibility Values over Time at 120KL Core

Magnetic Susceptibility Values (10-5 SI)

1000
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1237.78 2624.93 4024.92 5412.08 6799.23 8186.38 9573.53 10960.6812347.8413734.9915122.14

Age (years before Present)

Figure 1. Magnetic Susceptibility Values (10-5 SI) over time at 120KL core

Magnetic Susceptibility Values over Time at 119KL Core

Magnetic Susceptibility Values (10-5 SI)

800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
9411.86 9703.66 9995.46 10287.2610579.0510870.8511162.6511454.4511746.2512038.0412329.84
Age (years before Present)

Figure 2. Magnetic Susceptibility Values (10-5 SI) over time at 119KL core
 Magnetic Susceptibility Values (10-5 SI) Magnetic Susceptibility Values over Time at 118KL Core

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0
-8.78 1093.74 2206.58 3319.41 4432.24 5545.07 6657.9 7770.74 8883.57 9996.4 11109.23

Ages (years before Present)

Figure 3. Magnetic Susceptibility Values (10-5 SI) over time at 118KL core
Figure 1, 2 and 3 all display the magnetic susceptibility profiles of cores from the Bay of
Bengal. All figures illustrate that magnetic susceptibility of each of the three cores, 120KL,
119KL and 118KL has increased steadily overtime. Magnetic susceptibility is the degree in
which rock or sediment can be magnetised in response to a magnetic field and is a
commonly useful tool for describing sediments and stratigraphy. Measure of magnetic
susceptibility provide insights into the structure of materials, including bonding and energy
levels and it is widely used in geology a as proxy indicator for changes in composition that
can be linked to paleoclimate controlled depositional processes. Most rocks consist in
general of three kinds of minerals including diamagnetic, paramagnetic, and ferromagnetic,
with ferromagnetic minerals being the most sensitive indicator to geological processes.
Figure 1 illustrates the magnetitic susceptibility values over time at 120KL core. The graph
illustrates a gradual, steady increase of magnetic susceptibility over time as compared to the
119KL core which indicates a slower increase of susceptibility, as it begins to plateau at
10735 years before Present. Figure 3 illustrates the magnetic susceptibility values of 118KL
core, which displays the greatest change in susceptibility as an increase is followed by a
notable decrease in susceptibility and then the susceptibility again begins to rise. Therefore,
there are substantial differences between the cores along the transect as they show various
increases and decreases in magnetic susceptibility. These differences may explain
differences in the type and concentration of magnetic minerals that may be present in the
core, as magnetic susceptibility is controlled by the type and amount of magnetic minerals
contained in a rock. Greater magnetic susceptibility therefore means that the sediment has a
greater presence and concentration of magnetic materials particular Fe-bearing minerals.
Furthermore, magnetic susceptibility profiles can be interpreted in terms of the variability of
magnetic minerals from the Ganges Brahmaputra sediment routing system, as an increase
or decrease in minerals will influence the susceptibility of the sediment. Periods of increased
flux have occurred during the period approximately between 7000 to 15970 years before
present, as indicated through a steady increase in all the graphs which represents an
increase in magnetic susceptibility in each of the cores. This may indicate that during this
time there was an influx of magnetic minerals, potentially ferromagnetic minerals which has
caused the susceptibility of the rock cores to increase.
Part 2

206/204Pb isotope ratio values over time from the Central Indian Ocean
Basin

19.15
19.1
19.05
19
206/204Pb

18.95
18.9
18.85
18.8
18.75
26 75 14 25 79 59 79 .9 93 97 99 16 47 .1 57 53 67 83 14 11 08 23 86 84 79 18 57 .4 .8 43
5. 9. 15. 17. 25. 27. 31. 37 47. 62. 70. 76. 85. 97 07. 21. 29. 32. 41. 51. 61. 70. 81. 93. 03. 2 26. 235 243 51.
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2

Age (ka BP)

Figure 4. 206/204Pb isotope ratio values overtime from the marine core of the central Indian
Ocean Basin
Figure 4 displays the 206/204Pb isotope ratio values overtime from the marine core of the
Central Indian Ocean Basin. When the Pb isotope ratio is expressed, higher ratio values
represent enhanced periods of continental weathering. It is evident that the ratios fluctuate
over time, as the graph is not linear and displays periods of both increased and decreased
ratios, and therefore changes in continental weathering. Weathering rates and its products
depends mainly on topography, as elevation promotes chemical and physical weathering,
climate as hot, wet climates promote vigorous chemical weathering and how susceptible the
parent rock is to chemical weathering. Changes in the type or rate of weathering reflect
changes in climate over large scales and time periods. These changes are reflected in the
properties (chemical, magnetic, physical) of material produced by weathering which can be
measured and quantified using ratio of isotopes which can trace weathering rates over time,
as illustrated through figure 4. Therefore, decreases in the graph significantly between
107.57 and 134.49 years before present indicate a decrease in continental weathering
periods. The steep increase in the ratio between 153.61 and 200.95 years before present
illustrates heightened periods of continental weathering, which may have occurred during an
increase in temperature and changes in climate as well as changes in precipitations, as in
warmer, moist climates weathering is more likely to occur faster. The ratio peaks at 200.95
years before present which displays enhanced continental weathering and then begins to
decrease at a slower rate than many years before, due to the greater severity of continental
weathering overtime, as the climate becomes harsher and the rock is exposed to greater
weathering over longer periods of time.
Part 3

Isotopes 18O and 7Li over time during the Cenozoic Era

35

30

25

20
d18O
Isotopes

15 d7Li

10

0
0.0967 8.0160 13.790016.5150 21.159525.033933.7460 43.665053.0063 60.936464.7954
-5

Age (Ma)

Figure 5. Isotopes 18O and 7LI over time during the Cenozoic Era

7Li compared to 18O

35.00

30.00
R² = 0.59
25.00

20.00
7Li

15.00

10.00

5.00

0.00
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
18O

Figure 6. 7Li% as compared to 18O% (R2 value = 0.5876)

Figure 5 illustrates the comparison of the 18O and 7Li isotopes during the Cenozoic Era. As
illustrated through the graphs it is evident that the values for the 18O isotopes are much
lower than that of the 18O isotopes, although both graphs display a slight decrease in the
isotope values over time. The ratio of isotopes of a range of elements including Li and O
provide a useful means of tracing weathering rates over time. Li isotopes in sea water reflect
the flux of Li sediment in a dissolved state or as secondary clay minerals as part of the
suspended load. Li isotopes values allows geomorphologists to observe the influence of both
climatic and tectonic controls on landscape denudation at the planetary scale. The ratio of
the isotopes of Lithium are a function of clay particle load which is related to the chemical
weathering regime. The oxygen isotope represents changes in global climate due to the
changes in isotope chemistry of ocean water. The 18O isotope therefore reflects the
expansion and retraction of global ice volume as the planet cools and warms over time.
There is a decline overtime of the 18O isotope which indicates a slight retraction in global ice
volume during to the gradual warming of the planet. It is evident through the graph through
the low values of 18O isotope as compared to 7Li isotope indicate that Li isotopes in sea
water have a much greater effect on climatic and tectonic landscape denudation and
weathering as compared to O isotopes which have a lesser and more gradual influence.
Figure 6 illustrates the %Li values against the %O values during the Cenozoic era. The R2
value is a statistical measure of how close the data is fitted to the regression line and can
illustrate a particular relationship between the variables ranging from none/weak to strong
relationship. The R2 values of the graph is 0.5876 which represents a weak, positive
relationship between the percentage isotope values. This is because Li isotopes have a
much greater influence on climatic denudation and weathering, as illustrated through figure 5
as compared to O isotopes. Both isotopes influence weathering and denudation and
therefore there is a relationship between the two as evident through the R2 value.