Open AccessEvaluating the historical sedimentation patterns in two different Mediterranean deep environments (Sardinia and Sicily Channels)
Author(s) -
Nour El Houda Hassen,
N. Reguigui,
Mohamed Amine Helali,
Nezha Mejjad,
Abdelmourhit Laissaoui,
Azzouz Benkdad,
Moncef Benmasour
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
mediterranean marine science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1791-6763
pISSN - 1108-393X
DOI - 10.12681/mms.19558
Subject(s) - sedimentation , sediment , mediterranean climate , radionuclide , channel (broadcasting) , mediterranean sea , geology , physical geography , geography , archaeology , paleontology , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics , electrical engineering
The sediment accumulation rate in the Sardinia and Sicily channels in the central part of the Mediterranean Sea was studied by using short-lived radionuclides (210Pb and 137Cs) in two deep sediment cores. Different sedimentation regimes were identified indicating substantial differences in accumulation rates and historical patterns. The 210Pb-derived mean accumulation rate found in the Strait of Sardinia was 0.05 g.cm-2.y-1, lower than that in Sicily Channel (0.1 g.cm-2.y-1) suggesting an inverse correlation with water depth. Excess 210Pb inventories were 24 ± 1 and 6.0 ± 0.4 kBq.m-2, while the fluxes to the sediment were 745 ± 31 and 188 ± 11 Bq.m-2.y-1 in Sicily and Sardinia channels, respectively. 137Cs failed to use for the validation of the established chronologies, while its inventories found 450 Bq.m-2 and 355 Bq.m-2 in the Sicily and Sardinia channel, respectively.