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Low to middle Pleistocene paleoclimatic record from the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland (Poland) based on isotopic and calcite fabrics analyses

Marcin Błaszczyk
Marcin Błaszczyk
, 
Helena Hercman
Helena Hercman
, 
Jacek Pawlak
Jacek Pawlak
, 
Michał Gąsiorowski
Michał Gąsiorowski
, 
Šárka Matoušková
Šárka Matoušková
, 
Marta Aninowska
Marta Aninowska
, 
Ditta Kicińska
Ditta Kicińska
 and 
Andrzej Tyc
Andrzej Tyc
   | Aug 21, 2018
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Article Category: Regular Articles
Published Online: Aug 21, 2018
Page range: 185 - 197
Received: Mar 15, 2018
Accepted: Jun 07, 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/geochr-2015-0096
Keywords
© 2018 M. Błaszczyk. published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig. 1

Location of the study site. A – location of the Głęboka Cave (black circle) in the southwestern region of Poland (Krajewski and Matyszkiewicz (2009), modified); B – plan view of the Głęboka Cave, which shows the location (asterisk) where the flowstones were collected, cave map and profile (B) after Sznober and Tyc (2010), simplified.
Location of the study site. A – location of the Głęboka Cave (black circle) in the southwestern region of Poland (Krajewski and Matyszkiewicz (2009), modified); B – plan view of the Głęboka Cave, which shows the location (asterisk) where the flowstones were collected, cave map and profile (B) after Sznober and Tyc (2010), simplified.

Fig. 2

The sampled flowstone and its setting.
The sampled flowstone and its setting.

Fig. 3

Microscopic description of the studied flowstone. 1 – Discontinuities in the surfaces; 2 – Layers selected for the detailed microscopic studies.
Microscopic description of the studied flowstone. 1 – Discontinuities in the surfaces; 2 – Layers selected for the detailed microscopic studies.

Fig. 4

Photomicrographs for different types of calcite fabrics observed in thin sections. A – Columnar fabric (compact and open); B – Columnar with hiatuses, columnar fabrics and protruding rhombohedral terminations (Crt) underlined with a higher content of detrital material; C – Columnar fabric with a faint lamination, which has a visible characteristic elongation of the inclusions parallel to the direction of the calcite crystal growth; D – Columnar compact fabric with faint and flat laminae; E – A large discontinuous surface with a blocky crystal fabric that gradually transforms into a columnar fabric; F – A degradation surface that is also visualized by the change in the direction of crystal growth; G – Initial crystalline stage, which precipitates after discontinuity surface with transitional basal crystals; H – Columnar fabric of the microcrystalline type; I – Dark layers (i.e., condensed dark laminae) with possible dissolutions and/or hiatuses.
Photomicrographs for different types of calcite fabrics observed in thin sections. A – Columnar fabric (compact and open); B – Columnar with hiatuses, columnar fabrics and protruding rhombohedral terminations (Crt) underlined with a higher content of detrital material; C – Columnar fabric with a faint lamination, which has a visible characteristic elongation of the inclusions parallel to the direction of the calcite crystal growth; D – Columnar compact fabric with faint and flat laminae; E – A large discontinuous surface with a blocky crystal fabric that gradually transforms into a columnar fabric; F – A degradation surface that is also visualized by the change in the direction of crystal growth; G – Initial crystalline stage, which precipitates after discontinuity surface with transitional basal crystals; H – Columnar fabric of the microcrystalline type; I – Dark layers (i.e., condensed dark laminae) with possible dissolutions and/or hiatuses.

Fig. 5

Oxygen (A) and carbon (B) stable isotope compositions in the flowstone from the Głęboka Cave. The vertical lines indicate visible breaks in the flowstone deposition.
Oxygen (A) and carbon (B) stable isotope compositions in the flowstone from the Głęboka Cave. The vertical lines indicate visible breaks in the flowstone deposition.

Fig. 6

Oxygen stratigraphy results for the analysed flowstone. (A) 1 – δ18O record from the Głęboka Cave flowstone; 2 – discontinuity surfaces; 3 – the foraminifera δ18O record from the LR04 profile (Lisiecki and Raymo, 2005); (B) Age-depth model.
Oxygen stratigraphy results for the analysed flowstone. (A) 1 – δ18O record from the Głęboka Cave flowstone; 2 – discontinuity surfaces; 3 – the foraminifera δ18O record from the LR04 profile (Lisiecki and Raymo, 2005); (B) Age-depth model.

Fig. 7

The variability of δ18O (B) and δ13C (C) isotopes, with marked discontinuities in the surfaces, along with oxygen isotope stages (A), insolation at 50°N (D) and a fabric log (E) with marked as ellipsoids locations of thin sections on the timescale.. 1 – discontinuities in the surfaces; 2 – boundaries of oxygen-isotope stages (Lisiecki and Raymo, 2005).
The variability of δ18O (B) and δ13C (C) isotopes, with marked discontinuities in the surfaces, along with oxygen isotope stages (A), insolation at 50°N (D) and a fabric log (E) with marked as ellipsoids locations of thin sections on the timescale.. 1 – discontinuities in the surfaces; 2 – boundaries of oxygen-isotope stages (Lisiecki and Raymo, 2005).

Results of U-series dating from the Głęboka Cave flowstone. The reported errors are 2σ.

Sample lab no.Depth (mm)U cont. (ppm)234U/238U230Th/234U230Th/232ThAge (ka)Remarks
265478 ± 20.0643 ± 0.00011.000 ± 0.0041.05 ± 0.01450 ± 5> 500
267377 ± 20.0715 ± 0.00011.007 ± 0.0041.04 ± 0.01588 ± 7> 500
268350 ± 20.0459 ± 0.00011.014 ± 0.0051.08 ± 0.0260 ± 1> 500
333107 ± 20.0396 ± 0.00011.019 ± 0.0071.00 ± 0.03487 ± 14510−140+500$\begin{array}{} \displaystyle 510^{+500}_{-140} \end{array}$
33474 ± 20.0239 ± 0.00011.000 ± 0.0070.97 ± 0.03320 ± 10400−70+390$\begin{array}{} \displaystyle 400^{+390}_{-70} \end{array}$
27750 ± 20.1839 ± 0.00041.212 ± 0.0041.14 ± 0.0112.5 ± 0.2*D.C.
27826 ± 20.1046 ± 0.00021.316 ± 0.0051.05 ± 0.0112.1 ± 0.1*D.C.
27914 ± 20.0466 ± 0.00011.172 ± 0.0061.04 ± 0.02290 ± 5> 500

Results of microstratigraphic logging for calcite fabrics in flowstone from the Głęboka Cave.

CodeFormation environmentDepths (mm)
1Stable growth regime and warm climate with a persistent water film71–84.5, 129.5–138.5, 143.5–147.5, 155.5–165.5, 426–429, 433–439
2Correlated with enhanced degassing, which is typical of low water supply rates combined with intense cave ventilation138.5–143.5, 147.5–150.5, 165.5–173.5, 188.8–198.5, 429–433, 439–450
3Thicker film of fluid with faster water delivery rate and less efficient degassing than that in columnar compacts34.5–45.5, 57.5–71, 150.5–155.5, 185.5–188.5, 215.5–228.5, 328.5–332.5, 350.5–356.5, 450–454.5
4Constant water supply rate, higher precipitation rate, Mg/Ca ratio in water that is higher than those in previous fabrics0.5–3.5, 8.5–14.5, 15.5–21, 22–33.5, 198.5–215.5, 311.5–328.5, 332.5–346.5
5Seasonal contrast in temperature, vegetation activity, water supply and changes in cave ventilation and an increase in the flushing of colloidal particles45.5–51.5, 55.5–57.5
6Hiatuses, destructive fabric, relatively dry periods, or condensation-corrosion of a primary fabric; these conditions also enable initial crystalline stages of calcites that contain abundant impurities, which often form after discontinuity/periods of low growth rates or precipitation cessations3.5–8.5, 14.5–15.5, 21–22, 33.5–34.5, 51.5–55.5, 346.5–350.5
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