Abstract
Coral samples collected from the waters off the Leizhou Peninsula, the Hainan Island and the Yongxing Island of the Xisha Islands were analyzed by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) for their U-Th systematics. Their uranium contents are mostly lower than 3μg/g, and the δ234U (T) values are within the range of 150 ±5. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the corals are all composed of aragonite. This demonstrates that the corals determined have maintained a close system for 7000 years and their skeletons bear much information about the primitive tropical marine environment. The highly precise age sequence of the corals determined has revealed that there occurred three phases of high sea level in the South China Sea waters, which are dated at 6799-6307 a B. P., 4472-4285 a B. P. and 1279-1012 a B. P., respectively. The three phases lasted 492 a, 187 a and 267 a, respectively. These three phases of high sea level are corresponding to the warm environments that had appeared in China during the Megathermal Period and the Medieval Warm Period in the past ten thousand years.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chen Junren and Li Xuejie, 1996, Sedimentary characteristics of the drilling profile in the Zhuhai area and sea-level changes [J]: South China Sea Research, n. 8, p. 87–94 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Edwards, R. L., J. H. Chen, G. J. Wasserburg et al., 1986,238U-234U-230Th-232Th systematics and the precise measurement of time over the past 500000 years [J]: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 81, p. 175–192.
Edwards, R. L., J. H. Chen, T. L. Ku et al., 1987, Precise timing of the last interglacial period from mass spectrometric determination of Th-230 in coral [J]: Science, v. 236, p. 1547–1553.
Halliday, A. N., D-C. Lee, J. N. Christensen et al., 1995, Recent developments in inductively coupled plasma magnetic sector multiple collector mass spectrometry [J]: International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Processes, v. 146/147, p. 21–23.
He Xuexian, Peng Zicheng, Wang Zhaorong et al., 2000, Reef coral δ18 0 thermometer in Hainan Island waters, South China Sea [J]: Nuclear Science and Technology, v. 11, p. 162–166 (in Chinese with English abstract).
He Xuexian, Peng Zicheng, Wang Zhaorong et al., 2000, Restoration of South China Sea surface temperature by using the coral image density [J]: Acta Geographics Sinica, v. 55, p. 18–190 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Liu Weiguo, Peng Zicheng, Xiao Yingkai et al., 1999, Boron isotopic composition of reef corals from the South China Sea and its environmental implication [J]: Geochimica, v. 28, p. 524–541 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Luo X Z, M. Rehkämper, D-C Lee et al., 1997, High-precision230Th/232Th and234U/238U measurements using energy-filtered ICP magnetic sector multiple collector mass spectrometry [J]: International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Processes, v. 171, p. 105–117.
Ma Zhibang, Xia Ming, Zhang Chenghui et al., 1999, High-precision U-series dating of Holocene corals from the South China Sea by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) [J]: Chinese Science Bulletin, v. 44, n. 10, p. 937–940.
Nie Baofu, Chen Tegu, Liang Meitao et al., 1997, Reef-forming corals in the Nansha Islands and adjacent reef areas and their relations with environmental changes [M]: Beijing, Science Press, p. 29–67 (in Chinese).
Nie Baofu, Chen Tegu, Liang Meitao et al., 1997, Leizhou Peninsula coral reef and Holocene high sea level [J]: Chinese Science Bulletin, v. 42, p. 511–514.
Peng Zicheng, 1997, Recent development in thermal ionization mass spectrometry-A new technique for Quaternary chronology [J]: Quaternary Research, n. 3, p. 258–264 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Peng Zicheng, Wang Zhaorong, Sun Weidong et al., 1998, High-precision timing of the Quaternary standard samples with thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) U-series method [J]: Chinese Science Bulletin, v. 43, n. 4, p. 333–336.
Peng Zicheng, Liu Weiguo, Zhang Pengxi et al., 2001, Precise timing of lacustrine gypsum in Luobubo, Xinjiang using the thermal ionization mass spectrometry U-series method [J]: Chinese Science Bulletin, v. 46, p. 1538–1541.
Peng Zicheng, He Xuexian, Zhang Zhaofeng et al., 2002, Correlation of coral fluorescence with nearshore rainfall and runoff on Hainan Island, South China Sea [J]: Developments in Natural Science, v. 12, p. 41–44.
Wang Fei, Peng Zicheng, Chen Wenji et al., 2000, High-precision thermal ionization mass spectrometry dating of young volcanic rocks by using the U-series method [J]: Chinese Science Bulletin, v. 45, p. 83–86.
Wang Fei, Chen Wenji, Peng Zicheng et al., 2001, Late Pleistocene volcanic eruption activities at Tianchi, Changbai Mountains; high precision U-series-TIMS chronological constraints [J]: Geochimica, v. 30, p. 88–94 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Wang Shaowu and Gong Daoyi, 2000, China’ s climate temperatures of several characteristic periods in Holocene time [J]: Progress in Natural Science, v. 10, p. 325–332.
Wei Gangjian, Li Xianhua, Li Huimin et al., 1977, TIMS-U-Th age determination and its application-A preliminary study [J]: Geochimica, n.2, p.68–74 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Zhao Jianxin and Yu Kehu, 2002, Timing of Holocene sea-level highstands by mass spectrometric U-series ages of a coral reef from Leizhou Peninsula, South China Sea [J]: Chinese Science Bulletin, v. 47, p. 348–351.
Zheng Honghan and Huang Baolin, 1996, Geological records of Antarctic ice retreat and sea-level changes on the northern bank of the Shenzhen Bay [J]: Tropical Sea, n.4, p. 1–7 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Financially supported jointly by NKBRSF Project Funds (G19990434001 ), the Innovation-engineering Project Funds of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-SW-118 ), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40176031) and Chinese University of Science and Technology Resource and Environment Research Base Projects.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zicheng, P., Xuexian, H., Xiaozhong, L. et al. Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS)-U-Series ages of corals from the South China Sea and holocene high sea level. Chin. J. Geochem. 22, 133–139 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02831522
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02831522