The Thorium-230 isotope in the marine sediment is used for paleo researchers to calibrate and normalize particle fluxes of past times. The isotope is present both in the water column and in the ocean sediments, the latter being the item for marine paleo geologists to examine.
The Thorium-230 isotope in the marine sediment is used for paleo researchers to calibrate and normalize particle fluxes of past times. The isotope is present both in the water column and in the ocean sediments, the latter being the item for marine paleo geologists to examine.
Together with the isotope 231Pa, they provide important information on the ocean overturning circulation. But there is a problem with regard to the basis of the application of sediment 231Pa/230Th, which is equally fatal to the 230Th normalization.
– The amount of 230Th produced in the water column has been assumed to be removed to the local ocean sediments. But some things influence its distributions in the water column, Yiming Luo points out.
Read more at University of Bergen
Image: Map for the stations where (230Th)t data are available and compiled in this study.
Image Credits: University of Bergen
