Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
G. J. Retallack
Summary: The study suggests that Zebra rock might be a product of acid sulfate weathering, with its distinctive red banding resembling the mottling of gleyed soils.
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Andrew J. Coward, Anja C. Slim, Joel Brugger, Sasha Wilson, Tim Williams, Brad Pillans, Anton Maksimenko
Summary: Zebra rock is a macroscopic rock in the East Kimberly region of Australia, famous for its rhythmic iron-oxide pattern. Different formation mechanisms, including redoximorphic banding and Liesegang banding, have been proposed. This study combines mineralogy, geochemistry, and geological context to confirm the occurrence and timing of acid-sulfate interactions in zebra rock and determine the origin of these patterns. The study provides evidence of simultaneous development of iron-oxide banding and aluminosilicate dissolution, supporting an acidic fluid infiltration. However, the origin and temperature of the fluid could not be conclusively determined. A hydrothermal origin is also supported by mineralogical analysis. Rating: 8/10
Article
Anthropology
Evi Maryanti, Moh Mualliful Ilmi, Nadya Nurdini, Pindi Setiawan, Yana Maolana Syah, Chatree Saiyasombat, Grandprix T. M. Kadja, Ismunandar
Summary: This paper reports the unprecedented use of hematite as a black pigment material in rock art and analyzes the physicochemical characteristics of red, purple, and black pigment materials from Jufri Cave, East Kalimantan, using various techniques. The results reveal that hematite is the main component of all pigment materials, but the properties of hematite crystals differ among different pigments, possibly due to high-temperature heating or natural geological and anthropological factors. The variation in crystallinity and octahedral symmetry distortion of hematite structures may account for the color diversity observed in the pigment materials.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Pengxiang Hu, Hirokuni Oda, Xiang Zhao, Richard J. Harrison, David Heslop, Tetsuro Sato, Adrian R. Muxworthy, Andrew P. Roberts
Summary: This study focuses on the separation and identification of magnetic components in complex magnetite and hematite mixtures. Different methods, such as FORC, PCA, IRM curve decomposition, were used to extract specific information effectively. It is recommended to combine PCA analysis with FORC analysis to identify magnetic components in complex mixtures.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Jose Santiago Pozo-Antonio, Beatriz Comendador Rey, Lara Alves Bacelar, Pablo Barreiro
Summary: This paper discusses a collaborative interdisciplinary research on the prehistoric art site of Penedo Gordo in NW Spain, focusing on designing and implementing a multi-analytical protocol to characterize prehistoric rock paintings. The analysis of red rock paintings, stone-paint boundaries, and raw materials led to the discovery of a well-preserved drop of red pigment associated with Late Neolithic/Copper Age material remains.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Congcong Gai, Yanguang Liu, Xuefa Shi, Chunqing Sun, Xiaodong Jiang, Jianxing Liu, Yi Zhong, Qingsong Liu
Summary: Studies have shown that sediments from core NP02 in the North Pacific Ocean have an average sedimentation rate of around 11.6 cm/kyr, with detrital vortex state and biogenic single domain magnetite as dominant remanence carriers. The age model based on tephra correlation and radiocarbon dating confirms the reliability of the core NP02 relative paleointensity (RPI) record, with negligible age error added by depth offsets between remanence carriers. RPI variations in the core NP02 record, including the Rockall and Laschamp excursions, can help refine chronology and are consistent with other RPI stacks and records.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2021)
Editorial Material
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Gregory J. Retallack
Summary: This comment refutes the hypothesis that zebra rocks in northwestern Australia were formed as hydrothermal alteration zones from Ediacaran red shales. The falsification is based on the absence of Eu anomalies in REE arrays, lack of associated carbonate, low degree of chemical weathering, presence of soluble gypsum, occurrence in narrow strata bands, low thermal stability of magnetization, moderate diagenetic alteration, and patterns unlike liesegang banding. Instead, zebra rocks were gleyed paleosols with redox banding formed by acid sulfate weathering during the Ediacaran at low temperature.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Agathe Lise-Pronovost, Michael-Shawn Fletcher, Quentin Simon, Zenobia Jacobs, Patricia S. Gadd, Andy I. R. Herries, Yusuke Yokoyama, Aster Team
Summary: This study presents a dataset from sediment cores collected from Lake Selina in Tasmania, Australia, including radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence age estimates, elemental composition, beryllium isotopes, magnetic properties, and paleomagnetic records. The data can serve as an archive for future research on Earth system dynamics and environmental changes.
Article
Geography, Physical
Jillian Huntley, Lynley A. Wallis, Birgitta Stephenson, Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation, Annabelle Davis
Summary: Scientific techniques have been routinely applied in archaeological research for nearly 70 years, but some artefacts with cultural significance require careful handling of sampling. This study in Western Australia's Central Pilbara region used a multi-technique program to analyze a painted rock art site, uncovering the use of local materials in art production and ubiquitous ochre processing at the site and nearby shelters. The nuanced interpretations from scientific analyses add depth to understanding rock art and suggest that the art and ochre processing were part of everyday activities in the study area.
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Jinhua Li, Peiyu Liu, Nicolas Menguy, Karim Benzerara, Jinling Bai, Xiang Zhao, Eric Leroy, Chaoqun Zhang, Heng Zhang, Jiawei Liu, Rongrong Zhang, Kelei Zhu, Andrew P. Roberts, Yongxin Pan
Summary: This study proposes a new molecular biology method for identifying and studying magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) in natural environments. The results identify three novel MTB strains and describe their magnetosome biomineralization characteristics. This is significant for expanding our knowledge of MTB and developing strategies for studying uncultured MTB in natural environments.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Udara Amarathunga, Andrew McC Hogg, Eelco J. Rohling, Andrew P. Roberts, Katharine M. Grant, David Heslop, Pengxiang Hu, Diederik Liebrand, Thomas Westerhold, Xiang Zhao, Stewart Gilmore
Summary: A mile-high marine cascade terminated the Messinian salinity crisis 5.33 Myr ago, and flooding caused a massive transfer of salt from the western to the eastern Mediterranean, resulting in hyper-stratification and sapropel deposition.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Victor A. Piedrahita, Simone Galeotti, Xiang Zhao, Andrew P. Roberts, Eelco J. Rohling, David Heslop, Fabio Florindo, Katharine M. Grant, Laura Rodriguez-Sanz, Daniele Reghellin, Richard E. Zeebe
Summary: This study documents orbital signatures in marine sediments from Contessa Road, Italy, showing orbitally controlled lysocline depth adjustments and orbital phasing of the PETM CIE onset close to both long and short eccentricity maxima. The findings suggest that climate processes associated with orbital forcing of both long and short eccentricity maxima played an important role in triggering the carbon cycle perturbations of all Paleocene-Eocene CIE events.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Peiyu Liu, Yue Zheng, Rongrong Zhang, Jinling Bai, Kelei Zhu, Karim Benzerara, Nicolas Menguy, Xiang Zhao, Andrew P. Roberts, Yongxin Pan, Jinhua Li
Summary: A general model for gene networks controlling magnetosome biogenesis and chain assembly in magnetotactic bacteria is proposed through comparative genomic and phenomic analysis. Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are a group of phylogenetically and morphologically diverse prokaryotes that can sense Earth's magnetic field via nanocrystals of magnetic iron minerals. The study of magnetosome biogenesis and organization in MTB has been limited to a few cultured strains, but this research presents an integrative genomic and phenomic analysis to investigate the genetic basis of magnetosome biomineralization in both cultured and uncultured strains from diverse MTB groups. The magnetosome gene contents/networks are correlated with magnetic particle morphology and chain configuration, and a general model for gene networks controlling magnetosome biogenesis and chain assembly in MTB systems is proposed.
NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Victor A. Piedrahita, Xiang Zhao, Andrew P. Roberts, Eelco J. Rohling, David Heslop, Simone Galeotti, Laura Rodriguez-Sanz, Fabio Florindo, Katharine M. Grant
Summary: Carbon releases into the climate system result in global warming and ocean acidification, which can be reversed by carbon sequestration. However, the controls on carbon removal timescales and their dependence on initial perturbation amplitude are poorly understood. This study assesses late Paleocene-early Eocene (LPEE) carbon cycle perturbations to constrain carbon removal timescales and reveals accelerated carbon sequestration during LPEE carbon injection recovery. The short carbon removal timescales are likely related to accelerated oceanic biological pump and enhanced chemical weathering.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
D. Ellerton, T. M. Rittenour, J. Shulmeister, A. P. Roberts, G. Miot da Silva, A. Gontz, P. A. Hesp, P. Moss, N. Patton, T. Santini, K. Welsh, X. Zhao
Summary: This study used optically stimulated luminescence and palaeomagnetic dating to determine the age of Fraser Island and the adjacent Cooloola Sand Mass. The results showed that they formed between 1.2 Ma and 0.7 Ma, during a global climate reconfiguration. The formation of Fraser Island reduced sediment supply and facilitated the development of the Great Barrier Reef.
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Eelco J. Rohling, Gavin L. Foster, Thomas M. Gernon, Katharine M. Grant, David Heslop, Fiona D. Hibbert, Andrew P. Roberts, Jimin Yu
Summary: Global ice volume and deep-sea temperature are vital indicators of Earth's climate state. This study synthesizes evidence for ice volume and deep-sea temperature variations over the past 40 million years and provides reconstructions and discussions on uncertainties. The study highlights key issues related to glacial state changes and calls for further research.
REVIEWS OF GEOPHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Qiang Zhang, Andrew P. P. Roberts, Shulan Ge, Yanguang Liu, Jianxing Liu, Shuangchi Liu, Xu Tang, Haosen Wang, Dunfan Wang, Jinhua Li, Qingsong Liu
Summary: The anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) is an important parameter for quantifying the concentration of fine ferrimagnetic particles in rocks and sediments. However, the understanding of ARM carriers in marine sediments is often limited. In this study, sediment cores from different regions were analyzed using various techniques, and it was found that the ARM is mainly carried by non-interacting single domain biogenic magnetite. Low-coercivity magnetic particles also contribute to the ARM. The study provides insights into the interpretation of ARM data in sedimentary archives.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dunfan Wang, Andrew P. Roberts, Eelco J. Rohling, Weiqi Yao, Yi Zhong, Zhengquan Yao, Yang Lu, Qingsong Liu
Summary: Stimulation of the biological pump by iron-bearing dust in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean plays an important role in long-term carbon sequestration, but the impact of past dust fertilization on CO2 perturbations over major climate transitions is still debated.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hong Ao, Eelco J. Rohling, Xinzhou Li, Yougui Song, Andrew P. Roberts, Yongming Han, Christopher J. Poulsen, Tara N. Jonell, Diederik Liebrand, Qiang Sun, Xinxia Li, Xiaoke Qiang, Peng Zhang, Mark J. Dekkers
Summary: Grain size and magnetic susceptibility records from the Chinese Loess Plateau and model simulations suggest that the dry and windy Asian glacials during the mid-Pleistocene transition were likely caused by the expansion of the Northern Hemisphere ice sheet. The extreme glacial loess coarsening events at the onset and middle of the mid-Pleistocene transition reflect intensified Asian aridification and winter monsoon activity, coinciding with Northern Hemisphere glacial ice sheet expansion. These findings indicate that the dry and windy Asian glacials were driven by an amplified terrestrial climate response to the coincident Northern Hemisphere ice sheet expansion.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhiyong Lin, Harald Strauss, Joern Peckmann, Andrew P. Roberts, Yang Lu, Xiaoming Sun, Tingting Chen, Mathias Harzhauser
Summary: Sulphate deficiency in lake environments leads to increased atmospheric methane, while sulphate-driven anaerobic oxidation of methane (SD-AOM) is hindered. The study identifies abundant iron sulphide minerals in Lake Pannon sediments, indicating substantial methane consumption in the lake. These findings highlight the importance of sulphate in reducing methane release from lake sediments to the atmosphere.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Liao Chang, Babette A. A. Hoogakker, David Heslop, Xiang Zhao, Andrew P. P. Roberts, Patrick De Deckker, Pengfei Xue, Zhaowen Pei, Fan Zeng, Rong Huang, Baoqi Huang, Shishun Wang, Thomas A. A. Berndt, Melanie Leng, Jan-Berend W. Stuut, Richard J. J. Harrison
Summary: By studying a long magnetofossil record from the eastern Indian Ocean, we found coexisting phenomena of magnetic hardening, enlargement, and less oxidation of magnetofossils during glacials compared to interglacials over the past 900,000 years. Our multi-proxy records consistently suggest a recurring decrease in O2 levels in the glacial Indian Ocean, similar to observations in the Atlantic and Pacific during the last glaciation. This repeated oxygen decline strongly supports the hypothesis that increased carbon storage in the Indian Ocean during glacial periods played a significant role in atmospheric CO2 cycling and climate change over recent glacial/interglacial timescales.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
David Heslop, Janice L. Scealy, Andrew T. A. Wood, Lisa Tauxe, Andrew P. Roberts
Summary: Paleomagnetic statistical inference is often hindered by distributional assumptions of parametric null hypothesis tests. To address this, the bootstrap method has been proposed as a nonparametric alternative. However, the current bootstrap test for a common mean direction in paleomagnetic analysis lacks consideration of a null hypothesis. In this study, we integrate recent advances to incorporate bootstrap tests into a null hypothesis significance testing framework, improving interpretability and unifying paleomagnetic statistical tests.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Rick Hennekam, Katharine M. M. Grant, Eelco J. J. Rohling, Rik Tjallingii, David Heslop, Andrew P. P. Roberts, Lucas J. J. Lourens, Gert-Jan Reichart
Summary: The Ti/Al ratio in eastern Mediterranean sediments can provide valuable records of North African climate changes. X-ray fluorescence core scanning (XRF-CS) is an effective method for generating continuous Ti/Al records, but accurate calibration is crucial. By analyzing a long sediment record, we observed a direct control of low-latitude insolation on North African aridity and humidity, with a subdued relationship after the mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT).
CLIMATE OF THE PAST
(2022)
Correction
Environmental Sciences
Katharine M. Grant, Udara Amarathunga, Jessica D. Amies, Pengxiang Hu, Yao Qian, Tiah Penny, Laura Rodriguez-Sanz, Xiang Zhao, David Heslop, Diederik Liebrand, Rick Hennekam, Thomas Westerhold, Stewart Gilmore, Lucas J. Lourens, Andrew P. Roberts, Eelco J. Rohling
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)