Search

The paper is focused on some results obtained during the interval 2006 – 2009,concerning the bottom sediments fingerprinting in 10 mainlakes of the Danube Delta (DD), using a composite magnetic susceptibility (MS; k)-lithological tracer. However, some remarks to the previous data obtainedwithin the last three decades are also done. The bottom sediments were collected with “van Veen”-type grab samplers. “Confined” vs “dynamic” vs“intermediate” deltaicenvironments are compared and defined by particular magnetic ingerprints recovered from lake sediments. The “dynamic environments”,usually placed lose to the influx points of the master canals or connected by relatively short canals to the main DD branches, are reflected by intermediateand high MS values, which are assigned to k classes III, IV and V of the MS scale achieved by theauthors (Rădan & Rădan, 2007). The “confinedenvironments”, situated far from the Danubian supplies and from the direct riverine inputs, are characterisedby a low intensity MS fingerprint, that is assignedto the lower k classes I and II, whereas the “intermediate” category is defined by k classes II and III. A distribution model points out the compositionchanges of the DD lake sediments, as the distance related to the Danubian source increases: the greater the distance to the source, the richer the sedimentsin organic matter and poorer in detrital mineral material. Several correlation coefficients (r) were calculated, .g. related to k vs TOM (Organic matter), kvs CAR (Carbonate fraction), k vs (TOM+CAR) and k vs SIL (siliciclastic/mineral fraction). In addition to all thesedata, the diagrams showing the verticaldistribution of the MS values for our sediment cores taken from three DD lakes are presented. The resultsdemonstrate the abilities of the magnetic susceptibilityas a lake sediments fingerprinting tool used for integrated lithological, hydrosedimentaryand environmental-geoecological studies in deltaic lakes.