(Appendix A) Sedimentation rate, geochemical and environmental magnetic proxies of the samples of the Metochia section, on the island of Gavdos, south of Crete

The upper Tortonian Metochia marls on the island of Gavdos provide an ideal geological archive to trace variations in Aegean sediment supply as well as changes in the North African monsoon system. A fuzzy-cluster analysis on the multiproxy geochemical and rock magnetic dataset of the astronomically tuned sedimentary succession shows a dramatic shift in the dominance of 'Aegean tectonic' clusters to 'North African climate' clusters. The tectonic signature, traced by the starvation of the Cretan sediment, now enables to date the late Tortonian basin foundering on Crete, related to the tectonic break-up of the Aegean landmass, at c. 8.2 Ma. The synchronous decrease in the North African climate proxies is interpreted to indicate a change in the depositional conditions of the sink rather than a climatic change in the African source. This illustrates that interpretations of climate proxies require a multiproxy approach which also assesses possible contributions of regional tectonism.

Radiocarbon age, and sedimentation and accumulation rate of core JM05-G001 obtained during Jan Mayen cruise JM050704 to the Barents Sea

Instrumental monitoring of the climate at high northern latitudes has documented the ongoing warming of the last few decades. Climate modelling has also demonstrated that the global warming signal will be amplified in the polar region. Such temperature increases would have important implications on the ecosystem and biota of the Barents Sea. This study therefore aims to reconstruct the climatic changes of the Barents Sea based on benthic foraminifera over approximately the last 1400 years at the decadal to sub-decadal scale. Oxygen and carbon isotope analysis and benthic foraminiferal species counts indicate an overall warming trend of approximately 2.6°C through the 1400-year record. In addition, the well-documented cooling period equating to the 'Little Ice Age' is evident between c. 1650 and 1850. Most notably, a series of highly fluctuating temperatures are observed over the last century. An increase of 1.5°C is shown across this period. Thus for the first time we are able to demonstrate that the recent Arctic warming is also reflected in the oceanic micro-fauna.

Sedimentation rates in Atibaia River basin, São Paulo State, Brazil, using Pb-210 as geochronometer

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Sedimentation rates in the Corumbatai River basin, Brazil, derived from Pb-210 measurements

Activity profiles of excess Pb-210 measured in four sediment cores from the Corumbatai River basin, São Paulo State, Brazil, provided an opportunity to evaluate sedimentation rates that are helpful for defining appropriate management strategies for the hydrological resources in the basin. This is because Rio Claro city and other municipalities make extensive use of surface waters for drinking water supply. The radiochemical analysis of the sediment cores yielded apparent sediment mass accumulation rates of between 406 and 1014 mg cm(-2) year(-1) for secondary drainage lines, whereas an intermediate value of 546 mg cm(-2) year(-1) was found in the Corumbatai River, the main drainage system of the studied area. These values provided estimates of average linear sedimentation rates of between 3.1 and 16.2 mm year(-1) that are compatible with field evidence, with the highest value corresponding with an area characterized by accumulation of sediment.

Sedimentation rates of tripton in Jurumirim Reservoir (São Paulo, Brazil)

Sedimentation rates of particulate material and some physicochemical parameters of water were determined in October, January, April and July 1990-91 at seven stations in the Jurumirim Reservoir (São Paulo, Brazil), three located in the Paranapanema arm, three in the Taquari arm and one near the dam. Higher sedimentation rates of tripton were found in the Paranapanema arm, followed by those from the Taquari arm and the dam. Suspended matter (2.5-48.7 mg · 1-1) and chlorophyll-a (0.7-8.1 mg · m-3) concentrations in the Paranapanema arm were in general higher resulting in lower water transparency (0.3-1.7m) than in the Taquari arm. Temporal and spatial variations in the tripton sedimentation rates were mainly influenced by allochthonous input at the stations near the river mouth. The settling fluxes at station near the dam of the reservoir were affected rather by a small autochthonous production (65 g C ass m-2 ;yr-1), indicated by a higher organic content (64-87%). Therefore, sedimentation rates measured by bottom traps were affected by sediment ressuspension especially at isothermal conditions. With respect to sedimentation, the riverine, the transition and the lacustrine zones commonly found in reservoires could be distinguished. The extent of the riverine zone in each arm of the Jurumirim Reservoir depends on the seasonal change of allochthonous input.

Sedimentation rates in the Corumbataí River basin, Brazil, derived from 210Pb measurements

Activity profiles of excess 210Pb measured in four sediment cores from the Corumbataí River basin, São Paulo State, Brazil, provided an opportunity to evaluate sedimentation rates that are helpful for defining appropriate management strategies for the hydrological resources in the basin. This is because Rio Claro city and other municipalities make extensive use of surface waters for drinking water supply. The radiochemical analysis of the sediment cores yielded apparent sediment mass accumulation rates of between 406 and 1014 mg cm-2 year-1 for secondary drainage lines, whereas an intermediate value of 546 mg cm-2 year-1 was found in the Corumbataí River, the main drainage system of the studied area. These values provided estimates of average linear sedimentation rates of between 3.1 and 16.2 mm year-1 that are compatible with field evidence, with the highest value corresponding with an area characterized by accumulation of sediment.