INQUA - SACCOM COMMISSION, President’s Report 2015
SACCOM Mission
The Stratigraphy and Geochronology Commission of the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA –
SACCOM) is devoted to the study of the Quaternary Period through Quaternary stratigraphy and chronology. It
provides a forum for Quaternary scientists to discuss and establish stratigraphical investigations and classification
throughout the World. It seeks to achieve this through the organisation of regular meetings, publications and
publicity. In addition a network of groups with specific mandates are established under the auspices of the
Commission.
SACCOM Officers
President: Philip L. Gibbard, University of Cambridge, England.
Vice-president: Leszek Marks, Polish Geological Institute, Warsaw, Poland
Vice-president: Liping Zhou, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Secretary: Thijs van Kolfschoten, Leiden University, The Netherlands
Activities in 2014
International Focus Group on Tephrochronology (INTAV)
1.
IFG/Project/Skill grant number: Skill enhancement grant 1307s
2.
Title: “INTREPID Tephra – II: Enhancing tephrochronology as a global research tool through improved
fingerprinting and correlation techniques and uncertainty modelling (phase II)” (INQUA project 1307s)
3.
Sponsoring commission: SACCOM
4.
Leader(s) (name, mailing address, e-mail address):
Professor David J. Lowe, School of Science, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
3240 (d.lowe@waikato.ac.nz)
5.
Brief summary of activities during reporting year
This grant, originally provided in 2013 for a tephra meeting to be held in Chile-Argentina (which was
subsequently postponed), was carried over to 2014 (see letter from Koji Okumura and Phil Gibbard dated 14 April
2014) to support a skills-enhancement focussed workshop “Tephra 2014: maximizing the potential of tephra for
multidisciplinary science” that ran from 3 to 7 August, 2014, in Portland, Oregon, USA.
The “Tephra 2014” workshop, which involved a 1-day field trip, 2 days of papers, and a day of discussions, was
organized by Steve Kuehn (Concord University, USA), Marcus Bursik, and Solene Pouget (University at Buffalo,
USA).
The workshop was convened to discuss major developments best practices and future directions/needs in tephra
studies from both volcanological and tephrochronological perspectives. During three days of presentation and
discussion, tephra scientists discussed challenges, opportunities and solutions in studies ranging from physical
volcanology to archaeology.
6.
Summary of accomplishments during report year
The workshop made several recommendations as summarized below.
7.
List of publications
Tephra 2014 workshop
Workshop website: http://geohazards.buffalo.edu/documents/Tephra2014.shtml
Vhub materials
(Vhub.org is a site for collaborative volcano research and risk mitigation, and tephra studies)
• Tephra 2014 group home page: https://vhub.org/groups/tephra2014
• Workshop questions list: https://vhub.org/groups/tephra2014/wiki/QuestionsToAddress
• Tephra 2014 wiki page with workshop report: https://vhub.org/groups/tephra2014/wiki
• Field trip guidebook:
https://vhub.org/resources/3723/download/Kuehn Tephra2014 Field Guide.pdf
• Index to videos talks (36 items on YouTube): https://vhuborg/groups/tephra2014/wiki/PresentationVideos
• Video of working group summary presentations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnfvhkS6N1I
A poster reporting on the workshop by Kuehn et al. (from which the above notes were derived) is available at
https://vhub.org/resources/3729
(a) Papers/chapters that acknowledge INQUA’s INTREPID Tephra project include the following:
Abbott, P., Austin, W., Davies, S., Pearce, N., Rasmussen, T., Wastegård, S. et. al. 2014. Re-evaluation and
extension of the Marine Isotope Stage 5 tephrostratigraphy of the Faroe Islands region: the cryptotephra record.
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 409, 153-168.
Blockley, S.P.E., Brauer, A., Davies, S.M., Hardiman, M., Harding, P., Lane, C.S., MacLeod, A., Matthews, I.,
Pyne-O’Donnell, S., Rasmussen, S.O., Wulf, S., G., Zanchetta., 2014. Tephrochronology and the extended
INTIMATE (Integration of Ice-core, Marine and Terrestrial records) event stratigraphy 8-128 ka b2k.
Quaternary Science Reviews 106, 88-100.
Bourne, A., Cook, E., Abbott, P., Seierstad, I., Steffensen, J., Svensson, A., Fischer, H., Schüpbach, S., Davies, S.
2014. A tephra lattice for Greenland and a reconstruction of volcanic events spanning 25–45 ka b2k.
Quaternary Science Reviews in press (doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.07.017)
Griggs, A., Davies, S., Abbott, P., Rasmussen, T., Palmer, A. 2014. Optimising the use of marine
tephrochronology in the North Atlantic: a detailed investigation of the Faroe Marine Ash Zones II, III and IV.
Quaternary Science Reviews 106, 122-139.
Lowe, D.J. 2014. Marine tephrochronology: a personal perspective. In: Austin, W.E.N., Abbott, P.M., Davies,
S.M., Pearce, N.J.G., Wastegård, S. (Eds), “Marine Tephrochronology”. Geological Society, London, Special
Publications 398, 7-19.
Lowe, D.J. 2015. Tephrochronology: a stratigraphic correlational and dating tool. In: Finney, S., Oleinik, A. (eds).
“Encyclopaedia of Stratigraphy”. Springer, New York (in press).
Lowe, D.J.; Alloway, B.V. 2014. Tephrochronology. [Chapter 19] In: Rink, W.J.; Thompson, J.W. (eds).
“Encyclopaedia of Scientific Dating Methods”. Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 1-26 (doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-63265_19-1)
Pearce, N. J. G., 2014. Towards a protocol for the trace element analysis of glass from rhyolitic shards in tephra
deposits by laser ablation ICP-MS. Journal of Quaternary Science 29, 627-640.
8.
Aims and activities, to be included in Quaternary Perspectives
The International focus group on tephrochronology and volcanism (INTAV) has three broad aims: (1) to improve
the methodologies of tephrochronology and thus, through chronostratigraphy, support and underpin Quaternary
projects (such as CELL50K, TRACE, SMART, INTIMATE), (2) to enhance volcanological applications through
tephrostratigraphy, tephrochronometry, and petrological studies, and (3) to maintain and extend the capability of
the discipline and to promulgate its value to the wider community, both scientific and layperson. INTAV members
are working towards these aims via a series of 7 objectives that form the basis of the INTREPID Tephra – II
project “Enhancing tephrochronology as a global research tool through improved fingerprinting and correlation
techniques and uncertainty modelling (phase II)”, as follows.
Objective (1)
To evaluate and apply new and emerging technologies to:
(a) identify and map proximal-to-distal tephras and cryptotephra deposits (i.e., at a full range
of scales);
(b) to establish their spatial and stratigraphic interrelationships;
(c) to improve understanding of the environmental data preserved in the morphology and
distribution of tephra and crypotephra deposits;
(d) to facilitate their use as chronostratigraphic units (including developing the use of
tephrochronology in cross-scale analysis); and
(e) as a basis for documenting volcanic eruption histories.
Objective (2)
To develop and evaluate new and emerging methods to characterize tephra and cryptotephra constituents
mineralogically and geochemically (including isotopically) using formalised protocols that enhance data quality
and quantity.
Objective (3)
To develop and apply improved age models for tephra and cryptotepha deposits.
Objective (4)
To evaluate and develop objective ways of correlating tephra and cryptotephra deposits from place to places using
statistical techniques and numerical measures of (un)certainty of correlation.
Objective (5)
To develop regional databases (using a uniform global framework) of high-quality mineral, geochemical, and
other data (stratigraphic, chronologic, spatial) for tephra and cryptotephra deposits.
Objective (6)
To maintain and enhance the global capability of tephrochronology for future research through mentoring and
training of emerging researchers in the discipline.
Objective (7)
To improve education to the wider community (outreach) about tephrochronology and its application and
relevance.
Thus the Tephra 2014 Workshop provided great impetus to helping to attain these objectives, with emphasis on
objectives (1), (2) (4), (5), and (6). Previously, little emphasis has been placed on (5) in particular (databases), and
so the workshop has provided an exceptionally important lead in helping to develop this aspect of tephra studies.
The development of emerging researchers (objective 6) is also seen as a key requirement for INTAV, and the mix
of veteran tephrochronologists (Westgate, Sarna-Wojicki) together with emerging researchers provided an ideal
opportunity for mentoring and training the next generation of tephrochronologists.
9.
Breakdown of use of the INQUA funding 1307s for “Tephra 2014” workshop
All documents/items of expense (including invoice numbers) relating directly to the expenditure of grant 1307s at
the meeting “Tephra 2014: Maximizing the potential of tephra for multidisciplinary science” are recorded at
University of Buffalo and are available on request from Barbara A. Catalano (or from conference co-convenor
Prof. Marcus Bursik: mib@buffalo.edu).
Barbara A. Catalano
Grant Coordinator/Alumni Relations
University at Buffalo
Department of Geology
Buffalo, NY 14260-1350
Phone: 716-645-4858
Email: bac6@buffalo.edu
A summary financial statement is given below on pp. 8-9 (and also attached to this report as a pdf file; file name is
Report on expenditure _Tephra 2014_LoweDJ). This financial statement is an integral part of this INQUA report.
INQUA Loess Focus Group
No report received.
Section on European Quaternary Stratigraphy (SEQS)
1. IFG/PROJECT/SKILL GRANT NUMBER INQUA 1410F
2. TITLE SEQS- Framing European Quaternary Stratigraphy
3. SPONSORING COMMISSION SACCOM
4. LEADER(S) Dr W.Westerhoff, Utrecht, The Netherlands
5. BRIEF SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES DURING REPORTING YEAR
1 - 2014 Annual meeting of SEQS
Tittle: The Quaternary of the Urals: Global trends and Pan-European Quaternary records
Venue: 10-16 September 2014, Ekaterinburg, Russia
Host: Institute of Plant & Animal Ecology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Science (UrB RAS)
Organisers: Prof. Alexandr Borodin and collaborators (UrB RAS)
2 – Workshop EU-stratigraphy
Tittle: Framing European Quaternary Stratigraphy,
Venue: 13-14 December 2014, Vienna
Host: Prof dr. Markus Fiebig, Universität für BodenKultur Wien, Institut für angewandte
Organisers: dr. Wim Westerhoff, Prof dr. Markus Fiebig
Geologie
3 – Production proceedings of SEQS2013 meeting, Constanta, Romania. This new issue of Quaternary
International was nearly finished by the end of 2014.
6. ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING REPORT YEAR
1) SEQS2014 annual meeting
The Quaternary of the Urals: Global trends and Pan-European Quaternary records was the central theme for the
2014 annual meeting of SEQS which took place from 10-16 September 2014, in Ekaterinburg, Russia. There were
78 participants and amongst them an encouraging number of relative young researchers. In two day of lecturing 34
oral and 38 poster presentations were given. The regional Quaternary stratigraphy at the eastern most boundary of
Europe was discussed during the pre- en post conference excursions. A full report of the meeting is attached to this
report and can also be found on the SEQS website (www.inqua-seqs.org).
The book of abstracts and excursion information can be found on the publications page of the SEQS website
(http://www.inqua-seqs.org/publications/).
2) Workshop framing EU Quaternary stratigraphy. The workshop took place from 13-14 December in Vienna.
There were 12 participants, each representing a country. All participants are experts on Quaternary stratigraphy for
their region. Originally the workshop was planned concurrently with the annual meeting but due to complicated
time schedules it was decided to postpone the workshop to the end of 2015. The main aim of the workshop was
bringing together existing and new data on Europe’s Quaternary in order to establish a new stratigraphical
framework for the Quaternary terrestrial deposits in Europe. Basically the compilation is described along a section
across the European continent running from the Atlantic seaboard to the Urals. The result of the workshop are
being summarised in the first half of 2015 and will be presented at session SA3, during the INQUA congress in
Nagoya, Japan.
3) Proceedings SEQS 2013 The proceedings of the SEQS2013 meeting in Constanta (RO) will be published in a
special issue of Quaternary International. The volume was nearly finished by the end of 2014. Guest-editors are
the organisers of the meeting, Silviu Radan, Nicolae Panin & Sorion-Corneliu Radan. All from GeoEcoMar in
Bucharest (RO).
8. LIST OF PUBLICATIONS DURING REPORTING YEAR
Publications will appear in the QI special issue of SEQS2013
9. AIMS AND ACTIVITIES, TO BE INCLUDED IN QUATERNARY PERSPECTIVES. SEQS- Section on
European Quaternary stratigraphy (rationale and aims) The Quaternary stratigraphy in Europe has been developed
over the last 150 years. Initially deposits were differentiated based mainly on rock properties and
geomorphological characteristics. Already soon biogeological evidence from plant macro-remains and the fossil
remains of small and large mammals were added. Halfway the last century detailed pollen-based subdivisions in
stages and substages came into existence. Applications of the 14C method and luminescence dating have added
absolute ages for the last 40 Ka and respectively 150 Ka. Palaeomagnetic ages are locally available but due to the
fragmentary character of Quaternary continental deposits a well-constrained sequence that spans the full
Quaternary is lacking. Furthermore one has to realise that the European Quaternary sequences are not evenly
distributed throughout the continent. There are marked regional differences. In brief: the Early Quaternary is
relatively well-recorded in and around the North Sea. Mid-Pleistocene sequences seem to be best developed in the
Central European plains and southward of the maximum land ice advances. The Alpine glaciation history is
traditionally best-studied in the Alpine Foreland while the northern ice sheets left major deposits on the North
European Lowlands. Loess covers are widely spread in Central and Eastern Europe and have registered mainly
Mid- to Late Pleistocene developments. In addition several parts of the Quaternary geological history are recorded
in fluvial systems either by the infill of sedimentary basins or in regionally developed stair cases of fluvial
terraces. So, Quaternary stratigraphy in Europe deals with regional and local different stratigraphical schemes
derived from a variety of depositional systems. Nevertheless, the available European records provide a huge
source of information on climate change and its impact on Earth surface processes.
By careful and thorough evaluation SEQS attempts to establish a cross-continental understanding of local and
regional developed stratigraphical concepts. The main aim is to develop and up-to-date maintenance a firm
stratigraphical framework that serves as guidance for correlation across the European continent, from the Atlantic
seaboard to the Urals. Terrestrial deposits and sequences thereby form a special area of interest. Their innate
fragmentarily composition and the lack of absolute dating methods for the larger part of the Quaternary hampers a
simple and straightforward solution. Through its activities SEQS also provides an important platform of exchange
of stratigraphical knowledge and discussion of new developments. The achievements of SEQS form a perfect base
to continue the work and activities in years following 2015. Providing a state of the art on the stratigraphical
knowledge of Europe and formulating main research questions on the topic may help to introduce young scientists
to get involved in future stratigraphical research.
Project: Glacial History of Dinaric Alps
DIG – 1st Workshop on DInaric Glaciation: Early/Middle Pleistocene glaciations of NE
Mediterranean – filling the gaps in reconstructing its geological history and climate change” that took place in
Starigrad-Paklenica in May 2013, was an initiative to involve an international team for further research of the
hypothesized extensive Dinaric glaciation and the Quaternary stratigraphy and chronology in Croatia. The
Workshop was supported by the Commission onStratigraphy and Chronology and received financial support under
category Skills Enhancement.
Besides leaders, five senior scientists and six early-career researchers (PhD and Master
students) participated in the Workshop, although at least twenty have been expected.
This “pilot project” proposal is a follow up with a goal to team-up researchers from all
countries of Dinaric Alps and propose/formalize an International focus group for the intercongress period 20152020. Following the conclusions of the Workshop, the 2nd DIG Workshop will take place in Starigrad-Paklenica
in May 2014, and annual workshops are planned for the next 3 years. A contribution to this project will also be the
4th Scientific meeting “Geology of Quaternary in Croatia” with international participation that will take place in
Zagreb in March 2015, which will attract more researchers to join the focus group.
Ljerka Marjanac, Croatia
1. Project grant number 1411
2. Title: Glacial history of Dinaric Alps
3. Sponsoring Commission: SACCOM
4. Leader(s) Ljerka Marjanac, Institute of Quaternary palaeontology and geology, CASA, HR-10000 Zagreb, Ante
Kovacica 5, Croatia
ljerka@hazu.hr or ljerka.marjanac@gmail.com
5. Brief summary of activities during reporting year
As the main part of the Project, the 2nd DIG Workshop was held in May 2014, and repeated in
October with 14 participants in total, including five senior scientists from Denmark, Norway, Poland
and Croatia, and two doctoral students, three master students and four bachelor students, all from
Croatia).
Workshop days: Introductory lectures on regional geology and glacigenic sediments were given by
workshop leaders, and all participants were engaged in discussion. All four days were spent in the
field observing and discussing the following topics: regional geology and glacial sediments in the Velika Paklenica
Canyon, Novigrad Sea coastal section - focus on transitional sedimentary
successions (glacial-proglacial-periglacial-interglacial), observation from a boat of the lateral and
vertical facies transition along the 3 km long coastal section of the Novigrad Sea, glacio-deltaic
succession of Seline section, and glacilacustrine sediments of Novigrad, Karin and Zdrilo with
Pleistocene macroflora and evidence of glaciotectonics.
Workshop conclusions: The field discussion was especially useful for students and young
researchers. Participation in this Workshop was crucial for few of the bachelor students to decide to
take Master programme in geology, Quaternary in particular. New contacts were made for further studies
and project elaboration.
6. Summary of accomplishments during report year
Dissemination of knowledge about glaciation of the Dinaric Alps by showing type localities and onsite
discussions about glacigenic sediments and processes, as well as engagements of graduate and
postgraduate students in Quaternary research, represent major accomplishments of this ongoing
project. New connections with other researchers and motivation of students lead to new project
proposals for extended research of the Dinarides. Unfortunately, there was no financial aid on national level in 2014 to
support the rest of planned project activities.
7. List of publications during reporting year
DIG – 1st Workshop on DInaric Glaciation: Early/Middle Pleistocene glaciations of NE Mediterranean
- 1306S and Glacial History of Dinaric Alps – 1411/ Report by Ljerka Marjanac / Quaternary
Perspectives 21(2)-2014 DIG Workshop Guidebook
8. Aims and activities, to be included in Quaternary Perspectives.
Glacial history of Dinaric Alps, the Croatian Dinarides in particular, is mainly based on sedimentological evidence
documenting a significant extent of glaciation, and several U-series dates setting the major glacial advance in time of the
Middle Pleistocene. Therefore, the aim of a series of dedicated yearly workshops (“DIG – Workshop on
Dinaric Glaciation: Early/Middle Pleistocene glaciations of NE Mediterranean – filling the gaps in reconstructing its
geological history and climate change” from 2013 onwards) is to show and discuss sedimentological evidence within broad
scientific community dealing with Quaternary issues of global interest, especially past and future climate and
environments. Other activities include networking of researchers from Dinaric Alps countries and other experts working on
relevant topics, creation of DIG website with continuous updating, elaboration of a list of palaeo-glacial geoheritage sites,
promotion of Quaternary geology.
ICS-SQS activities
1. The Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy (SQS) of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS)
has continued to work actively on several topics concerned with the formalisation of the division of Quaternary
time. This year a marked effort was placed on the divisions to be proposed for subdividing the Holocene. The
working group responsible is lead by Professor Mike Walker and includes a group of active Holocene workers
from around the world.
A second working group is focused on the possible definition of a formal division to be termed 'Anthropocene'.
This group has been very active during 2014, having produced a series of articles and a book on the Stratigraphy
of the Anthropocene. The group also held a very effective meeting in Berlin in September 2014. This group is
chaired by Dr Jan Zalasiewicz.
During the year, the latest version of the Quaternary chronostratigraphical chart was posted for free download on
the SQS website. The chart is regularly updated and produced by P.Gibbard and K.M.Cohen.
SQS President is Professor Martin Head (Brock University, Canada).
Details of all the activities of SQS are available on the website: Quaternary.stratigraphy.org
2. Field Workshop on the Lower–Middle Pleistocene transition in Italy (AIQUA, INQUA-SACCOM, ICS
Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy joint meeting)
Workshop at Bari, 11th October,2014; Field trip 12th–13th October, 2014.
Led by Neri Ciaranfi (1) & Martin J. Head (2)
(1) – Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Università degli Studi “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
(2) – Department of Earth Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
The field workshop meting on the Lower–Middle Pleistocene transition in Italy was organised by AIQua
(Associazione Italiana per lo studio del Quaternario), sponsored by INQUA-SACCOM and the International
Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy, and supported by the Department of Earth & Geoenvironmental
Sciences of the University “Aldo Moro” in Bari, Italy. The workshop presented the latest multidisciplinary studies
on two Italian marine sequences, Montalbano Jonico in Basilicata and the Valle di Manche in Calabria, both
candidates for the Middle Pleistocene Subseries global boundary stratotype section and point (GSSP). A
presentation on a third GSSP candidate (the Chiba section in Japan) was also given. Two significant Lower–
Middle Pleistocene lacustrine intra-penninic successions, San Lorenzo in the Sant’Arcangelo Basin (south Italy)
and the Sulmona Basin (central Italy), were also discussed. A two-day field excursion included visits to
Montalbano Jonico and the Valle di Manche, and also to the lacustrine deposits of the Sant’Arcangelo Basin.
The following comments about the state of the studies on the two Italian candidate GSSP sections arising from this
meeting are as follows:
The Ideale section at Montalbano Jonico has detailed foraminiferal and nannofossil biostratigraphy, robust
paleoclimatic data based on pollen and ostracods, δ18O isotope stratigraphy clearly identifying Marine Isotope
Stage (MIS) 19 and its substages (19.1, 19.2, 19.3), astronomical calibration, and nine tephra layers (V1–V9) of
which all are geochemically characterized and two (V3, V4) 39Ar/40Ar dated. Furthermore, the lower part of the
Montalbano Jonico section together with the Vrica section in Calabria potentially represent a Unit Stratotype for
the Calabrian Stage (e.g. see Cita et al., 2012). The good preservation of the section and its easy access are
guaranteed by its inclusion within a 'Special Natural Reserve of the Montalbano Jonico Badlands' instituted under
Law 3/11 of the Basilicata Region.
The Valle di Manche section clearly shows the Matuyama–Brunhes reversal just below the peak of MIS 19, and
has detailed foraminifer and nannofossil biostratigraphy, pollen ecostratigraphy, palaeoclimatic data, δ18O
stratigraphy, and good chronology around the M–B boundary. It also has good exposure and good access, and the
Pitagora Ash, which is close to the M–B boundary, provides a convenient local marker bed.
The two lacustrine sections of San Lorenzo and Sulmona can be easily correlated to the Montalbano Jonico section
by means of their well-dated tephra layers and through palynological assemblages.
Other issues
Phil Gibbard has continued to maintain the INQUA-SACCOM website: www.inqua-saccom.org
I thank all the officers for their assistance, and especially Professor T.van Kolfschoten for his support through the
year.
Proposed new officers for period 2015-2019
Candidates:
Chair: Professor Mauro Coltorti (Siena)
Vice-chair: Professor Thijs van Kolfschoten (Leiden), Professor David Lowe (Waikato) or Professor Lewis Owen
(Cincinnati)
Secretary: Dr Freek Busschers (Utrecht)
Philip L. Gibbard
President (chair), SACCOM (on behalf of the SACCOM Executive team)
22 January 2015