Elena Zanella: The Rio Martino Cave and its many applications
Channel: Institute for Rock Magnetism
Date: 2021-06-04

12th Institute for Rock Magnetism Conference

Session 3: Speleothem Magnetism 

Conveners: Josh Feinberg (IRM, University of Minnesota) and Ricardo Trindade (University of São Paulo)

Title: Speleothem magnetism’s contribution to paleoenvironmental changes: The Rio Martino Cave and its many applications

Author: Elena Zanella (1,2)

Institutions:
(1) Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Torino, via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125 Torino, Italy
(2) CIMaN-ALP, Centro Interuniversitario di Magnetismo Naturale - Alpine Laboratory of Paleomagnetism, via Luigi Massa 4, 12016 Peveragno, Italy

Abstract:
Speleothem magnetism provides excellent records of paleoclimate variability by linking rock magnetic properties to changes in detrital input driven by regional and global climate. The magnetic signal of speleothems, which mainly derives from transport of magnetic particles by karst drip water and catchment detrital input, has been recently investigated for paleoenvironmental research in cave system. Magnetic proxies are related to the composition, concentration, and grain-size of the detrital and pedogenetic magnetic phases. These studies rely on a detrital remanent magnetization model; however, a high efficiency in the remanence acquisition (as highlighted by AIRM and NRM/IRM ratios) can implicate a more complex process that is still waiting for answers. The integration to other proxies (e.g., stable isotopes, growth rate, trace elements, and facies analysis) increases the information that can be retrieved for paleoenvironmental reconstructions.
Two multi-proxy high-resolution records from flowstones of the Rio Martino cave, in the northwestern Italian Alps are presented. The first record includes combined geochemical and magnetic properties directed to study the evolution of the Alpine Critical Zone during the Holocene. The second case covers the first part of the Penultimate Glacial (early MIS 6) and constrains the interstadial conditions over the Southern Alps.