Advanced Hyperspectral Analysis of Sediment Core Samples from the Chew Bahir Basin, Ethiopian Rift, in the Spectral Range from 0.25 to 17 µm: Support for Climate Proxy Interpretation

G.E. Arnold; V. Foerster; M.H. Trauth; H. Lamb; F. Schaebitz; A. Asrat; C. Szczech; C. Günter

doi:10.3389/feart.2021.606588

Advanced Hyperspectral Analysis of Sediment Core Samples from the Chew Bahir Basin, Ethiopian Rift, in the Spectral Range from 0.25 to 17 µm: Support for Climate Proxy Interpretation

G.E. Arnold, V. Foerster, M.H. Trauth, H. Lamb, F. Schaebitz, A. Asrat, C. Szczech, C. Günter

Continental Scientific Drilling Facility

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Establishing robust environmental proxies at newly investigated terrestrial sedimentary archives is a challenge, because straightforward climate reconstructions can be hampered by the complex relationship between climate parameters and sediment composition, proxy preservation or (in)sufficient sample material. We present a minimally invasive hyperspectral bidirectional reflectance analysis on discrete samples in the wavelength range from 0.25 to 17 µm on 35 lacustrine sediment core samples from the Chew Bahir Basin, southern Ethiopia for climate proxy studies. We identified and used absorption bands at 2.2 μm (Al–OH), at 2.3 μm (Mg–OH), at 1.16 μm (analcime), and at 3.98 μm (calcite) for quantitative spectral analysis. The band depth ratios at 2.3/2.2 μm in the spectra correlate with variations in the potassium content of the sediment samples, which also reflect periods of increased Al-to-Mg substitution in clay minerals during drier climatic episodes. During these episodes of drier conditions, absorption bands diagnostic of the presence of analcime and calcite support this interpretation, with analcime indicating the driest conditions. These results could be compared to qualitative analysis of other characteristic spectral properties in the spectral range between 0.25 and 17 µm. The results of the hyperspectral measurements complement previous sedimentological and geochemical analyses, allowing us in particular to resolve more finely the processes of weathering in the catchment and low-temperature authigenic processes in the sediment. This enables us to better understand environmental changes in the habitat of early humans. © Copyright © 2021 Arnold, Foerster, Trauth, Lamb, Schaebitz, Asrat, Szczech and Günter.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	606588
Number of pages	16
Journal	Frontiers in Earth Science
Volume	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.606588
State	Published - Jun 23 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Support for HSPDP has been provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants and the International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP). Support for CBDP has been provided by Germany Research Foundation (DFG) through the Priority Program SPP 1006 ICDP (FS 472/13 and /18, MHT: TR 419/8, /10 and /16, FO 734/2) and the CRC 806 Research Project ?Our way to Europe? (Project Number 57444011). Support has also been received from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC, NE/014K560/1, IP/1623/0516). We thank the Ethiopian authorities for permits for drilling in the Chew Bahir Basin, and the Hammar people for local assistance during drilling operations. Logistic support and supervision of drilling was provided by DOSECC Exploration, in co-operation with Ethio Der pvt. Ltd. Co. Initial core processing and sampling were conducted at the US National Lacustrine Core Facility (LacCore) at the University of Minnesota. The authors would like to thank DLR's Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin-Adlershof, for use of the laboratory and for their support in the spectral investigations. This is publication HSPDP#39 of the Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project.

Funding Information:
Support for HSPDP has been provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants and the International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP). Support for CBDP has been provided by Germany Research Foundation (DFG) through the Priority Program SPP 1006 ICDP (FS 472/13 and /18, MHT: TR 419/8, /10 and /16, FO 734/2) and the CRC 806 Research Project “Our way to Europe” (Project Number 57444011). Support has also been received from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC, NE/014K560/ 1, IP/1623/0516). We thank the Ethiopian authorities for permits for drilling in the Chew Bahir Basin, and the Hammar people for local assistance during drilling operations. Logistic support and supervision of drilling was provided by DOSECC Exploration, in co-operation with Ethio Der pvt. Ltd. Co. Initial core processing and sampling were conducted at the US National Lacustrine Core Facility (LacCore) at the University of Minnesota. The authors would like to thank DLR’s Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin-Adlershof, for use of the laboratory and for their support in the spectral investigations. This is publication HSPDP#39 of the Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project.

Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2021 Arnold, Foerster, Trauth, Lamb, Schaebitz, Asrat, Szczech and Günter.

Keywords

Chew Bahir Basin
Ethiopian Rift
paloclimate
sediment cores
VIS/IR spectroscopy

Continental Scientific Drilling Facility tags

HSPDP-CHB

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10.3389/feart.2021.606588

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Arnold, G. E., Foerster, V., Trauth, M. H., Lamb, H., Schaebitz, F., Asrat, A., Szczech, C., & Günter, C. (2021). Advanced Hyperspectral Analysis of Sediment Core Samples from the Chew Bahir Basin, Ethiopian Rift, in the Spectral Range from 0.25 to 17 µm: Support for Climate Proxy Interpretation. Frontiers in Earth Science, 9, [606588]. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.606588

Arnold, GE, Foerster, V, Trauth, MH, Lamb, H, Schaebitz, F, Asrat, A, Szczech, C & Günter, C 2021, 'Advanced Hyperspectral Analysis of Sediment Core Samples from the Chew Bahir Basin, Ethiopian Rift, in the Spectral Range from 0.25 to 17 µm: Support for Climate Proxy Interpretation', Frontiers in Earth Science, vol. 9, 606588. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.606588

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title = "Advanced Hyperspectral Analysis of Sediment Core Samples from the Chew Bahir Basin, Ethiopian Rift, in the Spectral Range from 0.25 to 17 µm: Support for Climate Proxy Interpretation",

abstract = "Establishing robust environmental proxies at newly investigated terrestrial sedimentary archives is a challenge, because straightforward climate reconstructions can be hampered by the complex relationship between climate parameters and sediment composition, proxy preservation or (in)sufficient sample material. We present a minimally invasive hyperspectral bidirectional reflectance analysis on discrete samples in the wavelength range from 0.25 to 17 µm on 35 lacustrine sediment core samples from the Chew Bahir Basin, southern Ethiopia for climate proxy studies. We identified and used absorption bands at 2.2 μm (Al–OH), at 2.3 μm (Mg–OH), at 1.16 μm (analcime), and at 3.98 μm (calcite) for quantitative spectral analysis. The band depth ratios at 2.3/2.2 μm in the spectra correlate with variations in the potassium content of the sediment samples, which also reflect periods of increased Al-to-Mg substitution in clay minerals during drier climatic episodes. During these episodes of drier conditions, absorption bands diagnostic of the presence of analcime and calcite support this interpretation, with analcime indicating the driest conditions. These results could be compared to qualitative analysis of other characteristic spectral properties in the spectral range between 0.25 and 17 µm. The results of the hyperspectral measurements complement previous sedimentological and geochemical analyses, allowing us in particular to resolve more finely the processes of weathering in the catchment and low-temperature authigenic processes in the sediment. This enables us to better understand environmental changes in the habitat of early humans. {\textcopyright} Copyright {\textcopyright} 2021 Arnold, Foerster, Trauth, Lamb, Schaebitz, Asrat, Szczech and G{\"u}nter.",

keywords = "Chew Bahir Basin, Ethiopian Rift, paloclimate, sediment cores, VIS/IR spectroscopy",

author = "G.E. Arnold and V. Foerster and M.H. Trauth and H. Lamb and F. Schaebitz and A. Asrat and C. Szczech and C. G{\"u}nter",

note = "Funding Information: Support for HSPDP has been provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants and the International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP). Support for CBDP has been provided by Germany Research Foundation (DFG) through the Priority Program SPP 1006 ICDP (FS 472/13 and /18, MHT: TR 419/8, /10 and /16, FO 734/2) and the CRC 806 Research Project ?Our way to Europe? (Project Number 57444011). Support has also been received from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC, NE/014K560/1, IP/1623/0516). We thank the Ethiopian authorities for permits for drilling in the Chew Bahir Basin, and the Hammar people for local assistance during drilling operations. Logistic support and supervision of drilling was provided by DOSECC Exploration, in co-operation with Ethio Der pvt. Ltd. Co. Initial core processing and sampling were conducted at the US National Lacustrine Core Facility (LacCore) at the University of Minnesota. The authors would like to thank DLR's Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin-Adlershof, for use of the laboratory and for their support in the spectral investigations. This is publication HSPDP#39 of the Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project. Funding Information: Support for HSPDP has been provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants and the International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP). Support for CBDP has been provided by Germany Research Foundation (DFG) through the Priority Program SPP 1006 ICDP (FS 472/13 and /18, MHT: TR 419/8, /10 and /16, FO 734/2) and the CRC 806 Research Project “Our way to Europe” (Project Number 57444011). Support has also been received from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC, NE/014K560/ 1, IP/1623/0516). We thank the Ethiopian authorities for permits for drilling in the Chew Bahir Basin, and the Hammar people for local assistance during drilling operations. Logistic support and supervision of drilling was provided by DOSECC Exploration, in co-operation with Ethio Der pvt. Ltd. Co. Initial core processing and sampling were conducted at the US National Lacustrine Core Facility (LacCore) at the University of Minnesota. The authors would like to thank DLR{\textquoteright}s Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin-Adlershof, for use of the laboratory and for their support in the spectral investigations. This is publication HSPDP#39 of the Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Copyright {\textcopyright} 2021 Arnold, Foerster, Trauth, Lamb, Schaebitz, Asrat, Szczech and G{\"u}nter.",

year = "2021",

month = jun,

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doi = "10.3389/feart.2021.606588",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Advanced Hyperspectral Analysis of Sediment Core Samples from the Chew Bahir Basin, Ethiopian Rift, in the Spectral Range from 0.25 to 17 µm: Support for Climate Proxy Interpretation

AU - Arnold, G.E.

AU - Foerster, V.

AU - Trauth, M.H.

AU - Lamb, H.

AU - Schaebitz, F.

AU - Asrat, A.

AU - Szczech, C.

AU - Günter, C.

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N2 - Establishing robust environmental proxies at newly investigated terrestrial sedimentary archives is a challenge, because straightforward climate reconstructions can be hampered by the complex relationship between climate parameters and sediment composition, proxy preservation or (in)sufficient sample material. We present a minimally invasive hyperspectral bidirectional reflectance analysis on discrete samples in the wavelength range from 0.25 to 17 µm on 35 lacustrine sediment core samples from the Chew Bahir Basin, southern Ethiopia for climate proxy studies. We identified and used absorption bands at 2.2 μm (Al–OH), at 2.3 μm (Mg–OH), at 1.16 μm (analcime), and at 3.98 μm (calcite) for quantitative spectral analysis. The band depth ratios at 2.3/2.2 μm in the spectra correlate with variations in the potassium content of the sediment samples, which also reflect periods of increased Al-to-Mg substitution in clay minerals during drier climatic episodes. During these episodes of drier conditions, absorption bands diagnostic of the presence of analcime and calcite support this interpretation, with analcime indicating the driest conditions. These results could be compared to qualitative analysis of other characteristic spectral properties in the spectral range between 0.25 and 17 µm. The results of the hyperspectral measurements complement previous sedimentological and geochemical analyses, allowing us in particular to resolve more finely the processes of weathering in the catchment and low-temperature authigenic processes in the sediment. This enables us to better understand environmental changes in the habitat of early humans. © Copyright © 2021 Arnold, Foerster, Trauth, Lamb, Schaebitz, Asrat, Szczech and Günter.

AB - Establishing robust environmental proxies at newly investigated terrestrial sedimentary archives is a challenge, because straightforward climate reconstructions can be hampered by the complex relationship between climate parameters and sediment composition, proxy preservation or (in)sufficient sample material. We present a minimally invasive hyperspectral bidirectional reflectance analysis on discrete samples in the wavelength range from 0.25 to 17 µm on 35 lacustrine sediment core samples from the Chew Bahir Basin, southern Ethiopia for climate proxy studies. We identified and used absorption bands at 2.2 μm (Al–OH), at 2.3 μm (Mg–OH), at 1.16 μm (analcime), and at 3.98 μm (calcite) for quantitative spectral analysis. The band depth ratios at 2.3/2.2 μm in the spectra correlate with variations in the potassium content of the sediment samples, which also reflect periods of increased Al-to-Mg substitution in clay minerals during drier climatic episodes. During these episodes of drier conditions, absorption bands diagnostic of the presence of analcime and calcite support this interpretation, with analcime indicating the driest conditions. These results could be compared to qualitative analysis of other characteristic spectral properties in the spectral range between 0.25 and 17 µm. The results of the hyperspectral measurements complement previous sedimentological and geochemical analyses, allowing us in particular to resolve more finely the processes of weathering in the catchment and low-temperature authigenic processes in the sediment. This enables us to better understand environmental changes in the habitat of early humans. © Copyright © 2021 Arnold, Foerster, Trauth, Lamb, Schaebitz, Asrat, Szczech and Günter.

KW - Chew Bahir Basin

KW - Ethiopian Rift

KW - paloclimate

KW - sediment cores

KW - VIS/IR spectroscopy

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