249
system. Over the late 2011–2016 period, all sites had low
234
Th xs Inventories indicating consistently low sedimentation rates and stabilization of sedimentation patterns.
The return of bioturbation, as indicated by higher
234
Th xs Apparent MAR with no
supporting increase in
234
Th xs Inventory, was spatially and temporally variable with
site DSH08 beginning in 2013, sites PCB06 and M04 in 2015. The absence of bioturbation at site DSH10 over the 2010–2016 period may indicate a lack of recovery
at this site or that bioturbation was never present (pre-event, event, and post-event).
The return of bioturbation decreases the preservation potential of the depositional
pulse with site DSH10 having the highest preservation potential. This is assuming
remobilization of the depositional pulse did not occur at these sites. Beginning in
2012,
210
Pb xs age dating for cores appeared to resolve the depositional pulse and may
be used to assist in determining the burial and preservation of oil-contaminated
sediments and their detection in the sedimentary record. The combination of the
rapid collection of cores following the DWH event, high-resolution sampling, and
time series of the annual collection of cores allowed for the detection of the event
(2010–early 2011) and evolution of the sedimentary system over the post-event
impact (2011–2012) and stabilization (2013–2016).
Dedication This chapter is dedicated to Charles “Chuck” Holmes who was a mentor, colleague,
and friend. In his career, he advanced geologic studies in the Gulf of Mexico and beyond, as well
as the methods and applications of short-lived radioisotope geochronology. Without his guidance
and knowledge, the use of short-lived radioisotopes for investigating sediment records at high resolution in this study and others would not have been as far-reaching.
Funding Information This research was made possible by grants from The Gulf of Mexico
Research Initiative through its consortia: The Center for the Integrated Modeling and Analysis of
the Gulf Ecosystem (C-IMAGE) and Sea to Coast Connectivity in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico
(Deep-C). Data are publicly available through the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information
& Data Cooperative (GRIIDC) at https://data.gulfresearchinitiative.org (doi: 10.7266/N7FJ2F94;
10.7266/N79S1PJZ; 10.7266/N7610XTJ).
References
Appleby PG (2001) Chapter 9: Chronostratigraphic techniques in recent sediments. In: Last
WM, Smol JP (eds) Tracking environmental change using lake sediments volume 1. Kluwer
Academic Publishers, The Netherlands
Appleby PG, Oldfield F (1983) The assessment of
210 Pb data from sites with varying sediment
accumulation rates. Hydrobiologia 103:29–35
Balsam WL, Beeson JP (2003) Sea-floor sediment distribution in the Gulf of Mexico. Deep Sea
Res Part I Oceanogr Res Pap 50(12):1421–1444
Binford MW (1990) Calculation and uncertainty analysis of
210
Pb dates for PIRLA project Lake
sediment cores. J Paleolimnol 3:253–267
BOEM (2011) Report Regarding the Causes of the April 20, 2010 Macondo Well Blowout. https://
www.bsee.gov/sites/bsee.gov/files/reports/blowout-prevention/DWHfinaldoi-volumeii.pdf
Brooks GR, Larson RA, Schwing PT, Romero I, Moore C, Reichart GJ, Jilbert T, Chanton
JP, Hastings DW, Overholt WA, Marks KP, Kostka JE, Holmes CW, Hollander D (2015)
14 Characterization of the Sedimentation Associated with the Deepwater Horizon…
system. Over the late 2011–2016 period, all sites had low
234
Th xs Inventories indicating consistently low sedimentation rates and stabilization of sedimentation patterns.
The return of bioturbation, as indicated by higher
234
Th xs Apparent MAR with no
supporting increase in
234
Th xs Inventory, was spatially and temporally variable with
site DSH08 beginning in 2013, sites PCB06 and M04 in 2015. The absence of bioturbation at site DSH10 over the 2010–2016 period may indicate a lack of recovery
at this site or that bioturbation was never present (pre-event, event, and post-event).
The return of bioturbation decreases the preservation potential of the depositional
pulse with site DSH10 having the highest preservation potential. This is assuming
remobilization of the depositional pulse did not occur at these sites. Beginning in
2012,
210
Pb xs age dating for cores appeared to resolve the depositional pulse and may
be used to assist in determining the burial and preservation of oil-contaminated
sediments and their detection in the sedimentary record. The combination of the
rapid collection of cores following the DWH event, high-resolution sampling, and
time series of the annual collection of cores allowed for the detection of the event
(2010–early 2011) and evolution of the sedimentary system over the post-event
impact (2011–2012) and stabilization (2013–2016).
Dedication This chapter is dedicated to Charles “Chuck” Holmes who was a mentor, colleague,
and friend. In his career, he advanced geologic studies in the Gulf of Mexico and beyond, as well
as the methods and applications of short-lived radioisotope geochronology. Without his guidance
and knowledge, the use of short-lived radioisotopes for investigating sediment records at high resolution in this study and others would not have been as far-reaching.
Funding Information This research was made possible by grants from The Gulf of Mexico
Research Initiative through its consortia: The Center for the Integrated Modeling and Analysis of
the Gulf Ecosystem (C-IMAGE) and Sea to Coast Connectivity in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico
(Deep-C). Data are publicly available through the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information
& Data Cooperative (GRIIDC) at https://data.gulfresearchinitiative.org (doi: 10.7266/N7FJ2F94;
10.7266/N79S1PJZ; 10.7266/N7610XTJ).
References
Appleby PG (2001) Chapter 9: Chronostratigraphic techniques in recent sediments. In: Last
WM, Smol JP (eds) Tracking environmental change using lake sediments volume 1. Kluwer
Academic Publishers, The Netherlands
Appleby PG, Oldfield F (1983) The assessment of
210 Pb data from sites with varying sediment
accumulation rates. Hydrobiologia 103:29–35
Balsam WL, Beeson JP (2003) Sea-floor sediment distribution in the Gulf of Mexico. Deep Sea
Res Part I Oceanogr Res Pap 50(12):1421–1444
Binford MW (1990) Calculation and uncertainty analysis of
210
Pb dates for PIRLA project Lake
sediment cores. J Paleolimnol 3:253–267
BOEM (2011) Report Regarding the Causes of the April 20, 2010 Macondo Well Blowout. https://
www.bsee.gov/sites/bsee.gov/files/reports/blowout-prevention/DWHfinaldoi-volumeii.pdf
Brooks GR, Larson RA, Schwing PT, Romero I, Moore C, Reichart GJ, Jilbert T, Chanton
JP, Hastings DW, Overholt WA, Marks KP, Kostka JE, Holmes CW, Hollander D (2015)
14 Characterization of the Sedimentation Associated with the Deepwater Horizon…