Radiochronology of sediments from various regions of the Mediterranean Sea by direct gamma spectroscopy using natural 210Pb, 226Ra and fallout 137Cs

Abstract

The and profiles are determined at two locations in southern coast of Spain, Three locations in southern coast of Turkey and two locations in coast of Cyprus. Compaction-corrected sedimentation rates are derived for all locations using data. The rates range from 1..39± 0.12 crn.y"' (0.50±0.04 g.cm“^.y“^) to 0.08±0.01 cm.y“^ (0.039±0.003 g.cm~'^.y“^) (0.50±0.04g.cm"^.y~^). Except for BC-6A, for all of the locations the ^^’^Cs profile is used to compute sedimentation rates which are in a good agreement with those of '^^°Pb method. The result of the Constant Initial Concentration and Constant Rate of Supply dating models are in a good agreement with each other whereas in BC-6A and KS-1 cores only Constant Rate of Supply model is valid to calculate sedimentation rate. The flux of unsupported '^^°Pb vary between 0.74±0.01 pCi.cm“^ and 0.11 ±0.03 pCi.cm“^. The average depositional flux is found to be considerably low in the coast of Turkey and Cyprus, whereas it is found to be high in the coast of Spain.