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Warm Period Growth of Travertine during the Last Interglaciation in Southern Germany

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Norbert Frank ,
Margarethe Braum ,
Ulrich Hambach ,
Augusto Mangini  and
Günther Wagner
Norbert Frank
Affiliation:
Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften, Forschungsstelle Radiometrie, Im Neuenheimer Feld 229, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany, E-mail: [email protected]
Margarethe Braum
Affiliation:
Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaffen, Forschungsstelle Radiometrie, Im Nenenheimer Feld 229, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
Ulrich Hambach
Affiliation:
Geologisches Institut der Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Strasse 49a, D-50674, Cologne, Germany
Augusto Mangini
Affiliation:
Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften, Forschungsstelle Radiometrie, Im Neuenheimer Feld 229, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
Günther Wagner
Affiliation:
Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften, Forschungsstelle Archäometrie, Sanpfercheckweg 1, D-69126, Heidelberg, Germany
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Abstract

Late-Quaternary travertine at two sites near Stuttgart formed entirely during interglacial periods. The travertine contains structures from growth induced by bacteria, and such structures have been dated by 230Th/U mass spectrometry. The resulting ages from both sites imply growth episodes of short duration, with growth rates up to 5 mm yr−1, at 99,800 ± 1300 yr B.P. (2σ n = 8) and 105,900 ± 1300 yr B.P. (2σ n = 7). These episodes were likely part of marine isotope stage (MIS) 5.3. Deposition of silt interrupted travertine growth at one of the sites ∼105,000 yr B.P. Likely correlatives of this silt are the St. Germain I-B stade recorded in the Grand Pile peat bog and a cold episode ∼1000 yr long recorded by δ18O values in the GRIP ice core. Travertine also formed during stage 5.5 (∼115,000 yr) and during the early Holocene. We found no evidence for travertine accumulation in stages 2, 3, 4, and 5.1. At both sites, the Sr/U ratio and the initial 234U/238U activity ratio resemble those of modern spring water. However, the sites differ in the chemical composition of spring water and in stratigraphic sequence of travertine accumulation.

Keywords

travertinethermal ionization mass spectrometrythorium/uranium datingQuaternary climatecentral Europe
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 54 , Issue 1 , July 2000 , pp. 38 - 48
Copyright
University of Washington

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