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Magnetic properties of recent sediments in Lake Baikal, Siberia

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Abstract

Mineral magnetic measurements of six 210Pb-dated surface cores from different basins of Lake Baikal, Siberia, show temporal records controlled by a range of internal and external processes. With the exception of sediments on the Academician Ridge, there is clear evidence for widespread reductive diagenesis effects on the ferrimagnetic component coupled with neo-formation of paramagnetic iron minerals. Greigite formation, bacterial magnetosome accumulation and turbidite layers may affect the properties of some sediment levels. Concentrations of canted antiferromagnetic minerals (eg. haematite) appear to increase from the 19th century onwards. These minerals are less affected by dissolution processes and probably represent detrital minerals delivered by catchment fluvial processes. The magnetic evidence for recent atmospheric pollution by fossil-fuel combustion processes is weak in all the cores, and supports the findings from studies of spherical carbonaceous particles (SCPs) and heavy metals that pollution is largely restricted to the southern basin. Correlations between recent sediments based on magnetic data may be insecure over long distances or between basins.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Magnetism Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK

    J.A. Dearing & J.F. Boyle

  2. Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Liverpool, PO Box 147, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK

    P.G. Appleby

  3. Environmental Change Research Centre, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AP, UK

    A.W. Mackay & R.J. Flower

Authors
  1. J.A. Dearing
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  2. J.F. Boyle
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  3. P.G. Appleby
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  4. A.W. Mackay
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  5. R.J. Flower
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Dearing, J., Boyle, J., Appleby, P. et al. Magnetic properties of recent sediments in Lake Baikal, Siberia. Journal of Paleolimnology 20, 163–173 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008045029157

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