In situ cosmogenic Be-10 production-rate calibration from the Southern Alps, New Zealand

TitleIn situ cosmogenic Be-10 production-rate calibration from the Southern Alps, New Zealand
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2010
AuthorsPutnam, AE, Schaefer, JM, Barrell, DJA, Vandergoes, M, Denton, GH, Kaplan, MR, Finkel, RC, Schwartz, R, Goehring, BM, Kelley, SE
JournalQUATERNARY GEOCHRONOLOGY
Volume5
Pagination392-409
Date PublishedAUG
Type of ArticleArticle
ISSN1871-1014
KeywordsBe-10, C-14, Cosmogenic nuclide, Debris flow, Holocene, Last glacial maximum, Moraine, Production rate, South Island
Abstract

We present a Be-10 production-rate calibration derived from an early Holocene debris-flow deposit at about 1000 m above sea level in the central Southern Alps, New Zealand, in the mid-latitude Southern Hemisphere. Ten radiocarbon ages on macrofossils from a soil horizon buried by the deposit date the deposit to 9690 +/- 50 calendar years before AD2008. Surface Be-10 concentrations of seven large boulders partially embedded in the stable surface of the deposit are tightly distributed, yielding a standard deviation of similar to 2%. Conversion of the Be-10 measurements to sea level/high-latitude values using each of five standard scaling methods indicates Be-10 production rates of 3.84 +/- 0.08, 3.87 +/- 0.08, 3.83 +/- 0.08, 4.15 +/- 0.09, and 3.74 +/- 0.08 atoms g(-1) a(-1), relative to the `07KNSTD' Be-10 AMS standard, and including only the local time-integrated production-rate uncertainties. When including a sea level high-latitude scaling uncertainty the overall error is similar to 2.5% (1 sigma) for each rate. To test the regional applicability of this production-rate calibration, we measured Be-10 concentrations in a set of nearby moraines deposited before 18060 +/- 200 years before AD2008. The Be-10 ages are only consistent with minimum-limiting C-14 age data when calculated using the new production rates. This also suggests that terrestrial in situ cosmogenic-nuclide production did not change significantly from Last Glacial Maximum to Holocene time in New Zealand. Our production rates agree well with those of a recent calibration study from northeastern North America, but are 12-14% lower than other commonly adopted values. The production-rate values presented here can be used elsewhere in New Zealand for rock surfaces exposed during or since the last glacial period. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI10.1016/j.quageo.2009.12.001