Precise determination of Sr/Ca by laser ablation ICP-MS compared to ICP-AES and application to multi-century temperate corals

YUTA KAWAKUBO; YUSUKE YOKOYAMA; ATSUSHI SUZUKI; TAKASHI OKAI; CHANTAL ALIBERT; LESLIE KINSLEY; STEPHEN EGGINS

doi:10.2343/geochemj.2.0295

YUTA KAWAKUBO, YUSUKE YOKOYAMA, ATSUSHI SUZUKI, TAKASHI OKAI, CHANTAL ALIBERT, LESLIE KINSLEY, STEPHEN EGGINS

Author information

YUTA KAWAKUBO
Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo
YUSUKE YOKOYAMA
Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo
Institute of Biogeosciences, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
ATSUSHI SUZUKI
Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
TAKASHI OKAI
Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
CHANTAL ALIBERT
Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University
LESLIE KINSLEY
Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University
STEPHEN EGGINS
Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University

Keywords: coral, Sr/Ca, laser ablation ICP-MS, ICP-AES

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2014 Volume 48 Issue 2 Pages 145-152

DOI https://doi.org/10.2343/geochemj.2.0295

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Abstract

Coral skeletal Sr/Ca compositions are valuable tools for the reconstruction of past tropical climate. While solution-based ICP-AES has become the preferred method to obtain monthly-resolved Sr/Ca records as proxy for sea-surface temperature (SST), laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) allows a more rapid and still precise analysis of multiple elemental ratios at higher spatial resolution and, measurements can easily be replicated. However, the methodology still needs to be refined for long corals. It is applied here to a 435 year old Porites coral from the temperate region of southern Japan. Sr/Ca ratios measured by LA-ICP-MS and ICP-AES for three 10–15 yr periods are shown to be highly consistent. Resolution, data processing and Sr/Ca-SST calibration issues are discussed, and a replicate strategy is proposed to ensure high-precision Sr/Ca records from multi-century corals using LA-ICP-MS.

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