Constraints on the sedimentation history of San Francisco Bay from 14C and 10Be

Marine Chemistry
By: , and 

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Abstract

Industrialization and urbanization around San Francisco Bay as well as mining and agriculture in the watersheds of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers have profoundly modified sedimentation patterns throughout the estuary. We provide some constraints on the onset of these erosional disturbances with 10Be data for three sediment cores: two from Richardson Bay, a small embayment near the mouth of San Francisco Bay, and one from San Pablo Bay, mid-way between the river delta and the mouth. Comparison of pre-disturbance sediment accumulation determined from three 14C-dated mollusk shells in one Richardson Bay core with more recent conditions determined from the distribution of 210Pb and 234Th [Fuller, C.C., van Geen, A., Baskaran, M, Anima, R.J., 1999. Sediment chronology in San Francisco Bay, California, defined by 210Pb, 234Th, 239,240Pu.] shows that the accumulation rate increased by an order of magnitude at this particular site. All three cores from San Francisco Bay show subsurface maxima in 10Be concentrations ranging in magnitude from 170 to 520 x 106 atoms/g. The transient nature of the increased 10Be input suggests that deforestation and agricultural develop- ment caused basin-wide erosion of surface soils enriched in 10Be. probably before the turn of the century.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Constraints on the sedimentation history of San Francisco Bay from 14C and 10Be
Series title Marine Chemistry
DOI 10.1016/S0304-4203(98)00082-6
Volume 64
Issue 1-2
Year Published 1999
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Contributing office(s) San Francisco Bay-Delta, Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, Pacific Regional Director's Office
Description 10 p.
First page 29
Last page 38
Country United States
State California
Other Geospatial San Francisco Bay
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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