US JGOFS: Antarctic Marine Sediment Radionuclide and Lithology Data

Concentrations of six naturally-occurring radionuclides and detailed sediment lithology from Antarctic sediment cores. Data were collected aboard the RVIB Nathaniel B Palmer in February-April 1998 as part of the US Joint Global Ocean Flux Study. The study aimed to compare biological productivity during the Last Glacial Maximum with modern conditions.

Use Cases

• Reconstructing past ocean productivity based on sediment lithology percentages (biogenic opal, calcium carbonate, organic carbon).
• Calibrating sediment chronologies using included radiocarbon dates and U-series nuclide concentrations.
• Modeling paleoclimate conditions in the Southern Ocean based on radionuclide and lithogenic material data.
• Analyzing sediment provenance and transport using Th-232 concentrations as a lithogenic tracer.

Strengths

• Includes measurements of six specific radionuclides (U-238, U-234, Th-230, Th-232, Pa-231, Be-10) using advanced spectrometry methods.
• Provides four-component sediment lithology (biogenic opal, calcium carbonate, organic carbon, lithogenic material) with independent validation.
• Data is temporally constrained by radiocarbon dates obtained via accelerator mass spectrometry.

Limitations

• Last updated 1998-04-30 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

SCIOPS via nasa_earthdata

Collection Method

Sediment cores collected during RVIB Nathaniel B Palmer cruise NBP9802; analyses performed via isotope dilution ICP-MS, accelerator mass spectrometry, colorimetric spectrophotometry, coulometry, and high-temperature combustion.

Time Range

Covers the Last Glacial Maximum and modern conditions (1998 collection).

Freshness

1998-04 30 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Southern Ocean along 170°W, between approximately 54°S and 66°S.