U/Th dating and open system behavior: implications for travertines based on the study of Süttő (Hungary) and Ballik (Turkey) sites
Quaternaire, vol. 31/2, pp. 117–132
Abstract
Reliable dating is essential in order to put palaeoclimatological, palaeoenvironmental and archeological information from continental carbonates in the correct time frame. This study evaluates U/Th dating of travertines based on two case studies, i.e., in the Ballık (Denizli, SW Turkey) and Süttő (N Hungary) areas. Previous petrographic, mineralogical and elemental characterization of the travertines enabled sampling of, purely calcitic, micrite or spar dominant, zones that are non-, or solely weak, cathodoluminescent. Despite adapted sampling and detrital thorium corrections, U/Th ages of the Ballık and the Süttő travertines are inconsistent with their stratigraphic position. Based on the observation of wavy extinction affecting micritic fabrics and ghost structures, the studied travertines behaved as an open system for uranium after deposition through recrystallisation. Their U/Th ages, consequently, can only be considered as minimum ages. The Ballık travertines precipitated earlier than 0.55-1.31 Ma ago, when late-stage cementation along fractures and in cavities took place, and form the oldest travertines deposited in the Denizli basin. The formation of the Süttő travertine area started at the earliest around 2.5 Ma with precipitation of the Cukor travertine. With some short interruptions, active travertine formation in the area took place maximally until 120 ka. The decreasing ages of the Süttő travertines towards the Danube, prove the complex nature of travertines both during deposition as well as during diagenesis, which leads to anomalies with regard to the law of superposition.The diagenetic susceptibility of continental carbonate deposits poses problems in terms of accurate and precise dating. U/Th dating of the intrinsically heterogeneous fabrics of travertines and tufa, as presently applied, should be ceased. Travertines and tufa up to ~100 ka might be the exception due to the limited extent of recrystallisation. Sparite cements and veins can be dated more accurately but, even with multiple samples from the same study site and inclusion of coeval samples, give only minimum ages for the whole deposits. To better constrain the time frame of the whole bodies, results from independent dating methods and from the surrounding deposits are necessary. In addition, it is important to keep in mind that the open-system behavior of continental carbonates has implications for diagenetic, palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatological studies based on geochemical proxies.
Authors 14
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RWTH Aachen University · KU Leuven
Affiliation as printed
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE; Clay and Interface Mineralogy (CIM), Bunsenstrasse 8, RWTH Aachen University, DE-52072 AACHEN. Email:
Clay and Interface Mineralogy (CIM), Bunsenstrasse 8, RWTH Aachen University, DE-52072 AACHEN. Email:
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE
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Eötvös Loránd University · KU Leuven
Affiliation as printed
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE. Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Department of Physical and Applied Geology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. Sétány 1/c, HU-1117 BUDAPEST. Email: a.torok.elte@gmail.com
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Affiliation as printed
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE; Non‑Destructive Testing Research Group, Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE. Email:
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE
Non‑Destructive Testing Research Group, Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE. Email:
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Affiliation as printed
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE
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Affiliation as printed
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE; SCR Sibelco nv, Department of Geology, De Zate 1, BE-2480 DESSEL. Email:
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE
SCR Sibelco nv, Department of Geology, De Zate 1, BE-2480 DESSEL. Email:
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Petrobras (Brazil) · KU Leuven
Affiliation as printed
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE; Petrobras Research Center, Av. Horácio de Macedo Cidade Universitária 950, Ilha do Fundão, RIO DE JANEIRO 21941-915, BRAZIL. Email:
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE
Petrobras Research Center, Av. Horácio de Macedo Cidade Universitária 950, Ilha do Fundão, RIO DE JANEIRO 21941-915, BRAZIL. Email:
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Pamukkale University · KU Leuven
Affiliation as printed
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE; Department of Geological Engineering, Pamukkale University, 20070 Kınıklı Campus, DENIZLI, TURKEY
Department of Geological Engineering, Pamukkale University, 20070 Kınıklı Campus, DENIZLI, TURKEY
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE
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University of Minnesota · Xi'an Jiaotong University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Minnesota, MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55455, USA.; Institute of Global Environmental Change, Xi’an Jiaotong University, XI’AN 710049, CHINA. Email: cheng021@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Minnesota, MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55455, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Minnesota, MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55455, USA. Email: edwar001@umn.edu
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Affiliation as printed
High–precision Mass Spectrometry and Environment Change Laboratory (HISPEC), Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, 10617 TAIPEI, TAIWAN, ROC; Research Centre for Future Earth, National Taiwan University, 10617 TAIPEI, TAIWAN, ROC; Global Change Research Center, National Taiwan University, 10617 TAIPEI, TAIWAN, ROC. Email: river@ntu.edu.tw
High–precision Mass Spectrometry and Environment Change Laboratory (HISPEC), Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, 10617 TAIPEI, TAIWAN, ROC
Research Centre for Future Earth, National Taiwan University, 10617 TAIPEI, TAIWAN, ROC
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Geological Engineering, Pamukkale University, 20070 Kınıklı Campus, DENIZLI, TURKEY. Email: mozkul.mehmet@gmail.com
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Institute for Geological and Geochemical Research · HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences · Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Geological and Geochemical Research, Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budaörsi út 45, HU-1112 BUDAPEST. Email:
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Department of Physical and Applied Geology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. Sétány 1/c, HU-1117 BUDAPEST. Email:
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Affiliation as printed
Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, BE-3001 HEVERLEE. Email:
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