Journal article icon

Journal article

Cryptotephra preserved in Lake Suigetsu (SG14 core) reveals the eruption timing and distribution of ash fall from Japanese volcanoes during the Late-glacial to early Holocene

Abstract:
Long sedimentary successions extracted for palaeoclimate research regularly preserve volcanic ash (tephra) fall from explosive eruptions and are increasingly used to elucidate the timing and scale of past events. This study investigates the non-visible tephra (cryptotephra) layers preserved in the annually laminated and intensively 14 C dated sediments of Lake Suigetsu (SG14 core), Japan. The cryptotephra investigations reported here focus on the Late-glacial to early Holocene sediments that were deposited between two visible tephra layers, the Ulleungdo (U)-Oki (10.2 ka) and the Sambe ‘Sakate’ (19.6 ka), and consequently span an interval of abrupt climate change making any newly identified cryptotephra layers invaluable chrono-stratigraphic markers. Using major and trace element volcanic glass compositions the cryptotephra are used to assign provenance to chrono-stratigraphically relevant eruption units. Five new cryptotephra layers are identified within this time interval. Three cryptotephra layers are from Kyushu volcanoes (SG14-1337 and SG14-1554 [Sakurajima]; and SG14-1806 [Kirishima]), all of which offer important chronological constraints on archaeological (Jomon) cultural transitions in southern Japan during the last termination. Another cryptotephra (SG14-1579), is assigned to activity on Niijima Island providing the first known distal occurrence and age of the eruption. Finally, the SG14-1798 cryptotephra precisely dated at 16,619 ± 74 IntCal20 yrs BP (2σ) is linked to Asama (As) volcano and more precisely the later phases of the As-YKU eruption. This discovery greatly expands the distribution of ash fall from this multi-phased eruption at Asama volcano, which affected an area in the region of 120,000 km2. Refining the timing of the eruption and the distribution of As-YKU ash fall is important as it offers an excellent chrono- and climato45 stratigraphic marker suitable for assessing spatial variability in environmental response to past climate change during the termination of the last glacial.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

Actions


Access Document


Files:
Publisher copy:
10.1016/j.quascirev.2023.108376

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
SSD
Department:
School of Archaeology
Role:
Author

Contributors

Role:
Contributor


Publisher:
Elsevier
Journal:
Quaternary Science Reviews More from this journal
Volume:
324
Article number:
108376
Publication date:
2023-12-02
Acceptance date:
2023-10-22
DOI:
EISSN:
1873-457X
ISSN:
0277-3791


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1573646
Local pid:
pubs:1573646
Deposit date:
2023-11-29

Terms of use



Views and Downloads






If you are the owner of this record, you can report an update to it here: Report update to this record

TO TOP