Flood and earthquake disturbance of 210Pb geochronology (Lake Anterne, NW Alps)

Dating recent lake sediment records yielding disturbed 210Pb profiles has been a problem of wide interest in palaeoclimatic and palaeoseismic studies over the last few centuries. When applied to an alpine lake sedimentary record, a high-resolution sedimentological study reveals that the 210Pb profile is disturbed by the occurrence of single-event deposits triggered by two different mechanisms: flood events deposits and gravity reworking. Removing disturbed layers from the 210Pb profile yields a logarithmic depth–activity relationship. Using a simple 210Pb decay model (CFCS) provides an assessment of mean accumulation rate of ‘continuous sedimentation’, as opposed to ‘event-linked sedimentation’. The correlation of the thickest four gravity-reworked deposits with historically known earthquakes permits both validation and refinement of the age–depth relationship. This refinement highlights variations in accumulation rate consistent with post-Little Ice Age climatic variations.