However, the expansion of tephra research into new frontiers (e.g., cryptotephra detection, geochemical fingerprinting, high-resolution age-modelling) and the exponential growth of datasets present both opportunities and challenges. Unlocking the full potential of tephra research requires not only methodological breakthroughs but also cohesive efforts to standardize best practices. The premise of utilizing these multidisciplinary datasets relies on the proper collection, management, and documentation of all related products in accessible, interoperable formats.
This session invites contributions across the full spectrum of tephra science. We seek submissions that range from application in tephrochronology, to tackle fundamental questions on climate variability, ecosystem responses, and volcanic hazards, particularly using underutilized archives or distal/cryptotephra records, to advance data-driven frameworks and methodologies, bridging the gap between principles and practice. We encourage contributions that integrate FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Re-usable) data workflows and cyberinfrastructure with numerical modeling, statistical analyses, and visualization to resolve complex interdisciplinary questions.
This session is sponsored by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) Commission on Tephrochronology (COT).
Building interoperable data systems requires coordinated effort across the scientific community to establish common terms, definitions, and data structures. Within the diverse disciplines of the tephra community, more than a of decade of work has gone into standardizing field data collection, metadata, and terminology. This effort culminated in the release of a formal best practices publication in 2022 (Wallace et al., 2022, Scientific Data). To put these principles into practice, we have adopted a three-pronged implementation.
We have developed a dedicated tephra module within the StraboField app to streamline tephra data collection in the field. This module includes predefined fields and picklists designed to capture the core tephra layer metadata outlined in community best practices. The tephra module is part of the StraboSpot ecosystem—a suite of interconnected data collection applications built to support FAIR data principles across the geosciences. Because of this integration, the module works seamlessly with field projects beyond tephra stratigraphy, including mapping or structural geology.
At the same time, we built a data structure within the Alaska Volcano Observatory’s geologic database, “GeoDIVA,” to archive essential tephra metadata in a relational format. A key enhancement is the addition of a “layer data” component, which captures key attributes such as thickness, type, grainsize, and other aspects of stratigraphic layers in order to capture the full context and complete assembled of a measured section. This layer data is also linked to an integrated framework for samples, stations, source volcanoes, eruptions, field projects, and publications.
Finally, we have released an open-source R package, avstrat, that enables data processing and visualization of data collected with the StraboField application or stored in the database structure. This package produces graphical outputs comparable to tools such as SedLog or SDAR, but allows for more flexible data inputs, including describing stratigraphy by layer thickness and relative order or by absolute depths within a section. Avstrat integrates easily with age-depth models like rbacon and Bchron, and its source code will be freely available on GitLab for user modification.
How to cite: Loewen, M., Wallace, K., Nastan, A., Cameron, C., Novak, J., and Novak, N.: Applying tephra stratigraphy best practices through integration of field collection forms, database archives, and open-source data visualization tools, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-6045, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-6045, 2026.
Volcanic ash (tephra) from large eruptions is dispersed over broad regions and serves as an important chronostratigraphic marker at regional to hemispheric scales. In ultra-distal (>1500 km) archives such as polar ice cores and marine sediments, the preserved tephra is typically <10 μm in diameter, making accurate major-oxide analysis a persistent challenge for characterizing and correlating these deposits. Although advances in tephra extraction techniques have increased glass shard recovery from these archives, the analytical limitations of characterizing extremely fine-grained glass remain a primary constraint.
This study develops and evaluates a 1 μm/1 nA EPMA–WDS method, implemented without additional external software, that achieves high spatial resolution without inducing significant Na or K migration across low-, intermediate-, and high-silica reference glasses. Method performance strongly depends on the element-to-spectrometer configuration and element-specific count times. Without optimization, both factors induce alkali migration resulting in an up to 6% decrease from standard reference values for either Na or K, particularly in high-silica or alkali-rich compositions. Following parameter optimization, the 1 μm/1 nA configuration yields major-oxide results that deviate by less than 3% from reference values for concentrations exceeding 1 wt.% and 10 wt.% when concentrations are less than 1 wt.%The method improves precision by up to a factor of seven for extremely fine-grained shards compared with existing approaches, including the 3 μm/1 nA configuration, the 3 μm small-beam overlap method, and SEM–EDS at 1 nA.
The optimized configuration exceeds the performance reported in previous assessments of a 1μm/1 nA setup, indicating that the recommended current-density thresholds may be overly conservative. Applied to in-situ, ice-core cryptotephra, the method resolves compositional differences at sufficient granularity to distinguish separate eruptions and discrete eruptive phases. As ultra-distal deposits often contain sparse populations of <10 μm shards, by increasing the quantity of analyzable shards using a reliable 1 μm method, we improve the statistical power of correlation tests between proximal tephra deposits and distal to ultra-distal tephras.
The optimized approach thus facilitates integration of multiple depositional environments within the global tephrochronological framework and provides a reliable analytical method applicable across laboratories with differing instrumental capabilities. The optimized approach facilitates the integration of multiple depositional environments within the global tephrochronological framework while providing EPMA analysts with a reliable, high spatial resolution method.
How to cite: Smith, C., Burke, A., Streeter, R., Lawson, I., Law, S., and Hutchison, W.: Electron Probe Microanalysis of Extremely Fine-Grained Tephras: New Protocols and Insights for Analyses at the 1 µm Scale, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-19866, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-19866, 2026.
Multi-proxy reconstructions of past environmental and climatic changes critically depend on robust age models. In loess–paleosol sequences (LPSs), the limited temporal range of commonly applied radiometric dating methods (< ~250 ka) hampers high-resolution chronologies. The identification of widespread marker horizons, such as visible or hidden (cryptic) tephra layers, offers an effective means to improve geochronological control.
Eastern European LPSs are located downwind of several highly explosive volcanic provinces, including the western Italian volcanic ridge and the Aeolian Islands, and may also have received volcanic ash from the Eastern Carpathians and Anatolia under different atmospheric circulation patterns. Consequently, volcanic glass shards are expected to be preserved in these archives over at least the last 1 Ma.
We present a high-resolution, multi-disciplinary investigation of the Pleven LPS in northern Bulgaria, integrating magnetic, colorimetric, mid-infrared (ATR-FTIR), and granulometric data. The 27 m thick sequence was sampled at 2 cm resolution (1,336 samples). Magnetic and colorimetric measurements were obtained for all samples, while ATR-FTIR and grain-size analyses were performed at lower resolution.
Mineralogical and grain-size–sensitive magnetic parameters, together with ATR-FTIR–derived smectite contents, reveal several preserved (crypto)tephra layers, of which only one is macroscopically visible. Preliminary correlations suggest equivalents in well-dated regional archives. These results demonstrate the potential of integrated multi-proxy approaches for identifying cryptotephra horizons in Eastern European LPSs and improving regional stratigraphic correlations and paleoclimate reconstructions.
How to cite: Laag, C., Lagroix, F., Guyodo, Y., Jordanova, N., and Jordanova, D.: Discriminating tephra layers in loess–paleosol sequences by combining rock magnetic and mid-infrared spectroscopic approaches, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-11745, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-11745, 2026.
Ice cores drilled in the North Pacific provide important records of ocean-atmosphere interactions. However, their potential to document volcanic activity remains underexplored, an oversight that is somewhat surprising given proximity to many active volcanoes in the Pacific Ring of Fire. The few studies that have investigated volcanism in North Pacific ice cores have largely been limited to electrical conductivity and sulfate measurements. As such, tephra data from ice cores in the region are limited. This is particularly significant because traditional ice core dating methods (e.g., seasonal variations in stable water isotopes) have proven unreliable in some North Pacific records, thus tephra are an important alternative and underexploited chronological tool.
A 325 m ice core drilled from the summit plateau of Mt. Logan, southwest Yukon, in 2022 (60.604°N, 140.493°W; 5,334 m asl) presents an opportunity to revisit the characteristics and sources of tephra in a North Pacific ice core. An annual chronology has been developed using seasonal variations in H₂O₂, NH₄⁺, Na, and insoluble particle concentrations. Annual layers have been counted to 1911 CE, which corresponds to a depth of ~ 257.4 m, or ~ 80% of the core length. Although the basal age of the core remains unconstrained, preliminary age-depth modelling suggests the record spans one to two millennia at most. However, an abrupt and distinctive change in the seasonal cycle of the proxies used for annual layer counts, together with an absence of independent tie-points between 257 – 325 m, has complicated an accurate chronology. Here, we present our efforts to complete the age-depth scale for the 2022 Mt. Logan ice core. In doing so, we outline some challenges and successes encountered thus far in working toward the first high-resolution tephrochronology for a North Pacific ice core.
One approach is to compare the 2022 Mt. Logan record with the limited but important volcanic records available for ice cores from elsewhere in the North Pacific region. Sites include an earlier record drilled on Mt. Logan, the 2002 Prospector Russell Col ice core, which is one of the few sites in the North Pacific reported to contain pre-Holocene ice. Additional locations include the Begguya plateau (Mt. Hunter, Alaska), which similarly preserves pre-Holocene ice, and the Eclipse Icefield located close in proximity to Mt. Logan in the St. Elias Mountains. Volcanic records, if correlated across the sites and/or to well-dated eruptions, may provide a means to constrain the age of the 2022 Mt. Logan ice core.
How to cite: A.K. Yousif, H., J.L. Jensen, B., M. Holland, K., S. Criscitiello, A., R. North, K., R. McConnell, J., C. Kuehn, S., C. Osterberg, E., M. Wensman, S., J. Chellman, N., and G. Froese, D.: Troublesome Tephra and Ambiguous Age Models: The Challenges of Volcanic Records From North Pacific Ice Cores, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-15461, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-15461, 2026.
Riparo l’Oscurusciuto (Ginosa, Apulia, Italy) hosts a rich Middle Paleolithic stratigraphic record, consisting of structures, fireplaces, lithic and faunal assemblages, and was occupied by Neanderthals during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3. The part of the stratigraphic record excavated so far encompassed a ~20-25 kyr time interval, spanning between ~42.7 BP and ~65 ka, based on i) 14C age determinations of bone collagen at the base of the uppermost stratigraphic unit (SU-1), ii) OSL dates, and iii) the correlation of SU-14 with the Mount Epomeo Green Tuff (MEGT)/Y-7 tephra layer derived from Ischia volcano in the Bay of Naples. Recent studies suggest that the MEGT and the Y-7 tephra potentially represent two, geochemically similar but temporally distinguished eruptive events on Ischia, dated between ~56 ka (MEGT) and ~60 ka (Y-7) respectively, with this having implications for the age model of Riparo l’Oscurusciuto sequence. Furthermore, ongoing excavations revealed the presence of further tephra layers underlying SU-14, with the excavated part of the Riparo l’Oscurusciuto sequence likely extending to the end of MIS 4. To better chronologically constrain the Riparo l’Oscurusciuto record further tephrochronological investigations are required.
A new sampling campaign for tephra and cryptotephra analysis, including both glass and minerals major, minor (EPMA), and trace element (LA-ICP-MS) composition determination, has been undertaken. Eight samples have been taken from SU-14 and the underlying macroscopic volcanic ash deposits in SU-19 and SU-24/26. Analyses performed on the macroscopic samples revealed the occurrence of Na-Fe pyroxene (aegirine) in SU-24/26, but not in SU-14. The aegirine phase is absent in the MEGT deposits and subsequent, younger eruptive units on the island, but is present in the distal Y-7 deposits and older eruption units, thus SU-14 is confirmed to belong to the MEGT, whilst SU-24/26 can be correlated to either the Y-7 or another pre-MEGT eruption on Ischia. This is supported also by trace element analysis of the glass, where SU-14 shows wider ranges of Th and Y concentrations (i.e., Th = 14-58 ppm; Y = 27-73 ppm) relative to SU-24/26 (Th = 30-50 ppm; Y = 45-69), and similar to other MEGT proximal and distal samples. Concerning SU-19, trace element analysis also reveal concentrations similar to SU-14, however without wide ranging Th content (i.e., Th = 30-72 ppm) making its attribution to a temporally separate Y-7 still unclear.
How to cite: Monaco, L., Albert, P., Boscato, P., Giaccio, B., Manning, C., Martini, I., Spagnolo, V., Ronchitelli, A. M., Zanchetta, G., Barzilai, O., Benazzi, S., Berna, F., and Boschin, F.: Revising the tephrostratigraphy of Riparo l’Oscurusciuto, gravina di Ginosa, Apulia (Italy), EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-9805, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-9805, 2026.
Over the last two decades, tephrochronology has become a fundamental tool for high-resolution stratigraphy, providing constraints for dating, correlation, and synchronization applicable to various Earth sciences disciplines. In coastal and island volcanic settings, the analysis of the texture, mineralogy, and geochemistry of volcanic particles allows the identification of the source volcanoes and the reconstruction of eruptive histories, also providing crucial information on associated hazards, such as slope collapse and tsunamis.
In this study, we applied an integrated tephrochronological, sedimentological, and geochemical approach to three marine sediment cores collected ~30–43 km northwest of Stromboli volcano (southern Tyrrhenian Sea). Marine sedimentary sequences are particularly valuable in this context because they preserve both turbidite sequences produced by past volcanic flank collapses and tephra deposits from nearby volcanoes, providing essential chronological constraints. The cores consist of epiclastic sediments and hemipelagic muds intercalated with volcaniclastic deposits, which were divided into three main types: (a) primary tephra (and cryptotephra) layers, representing direct fallout deposits from explosive eruptions; (b) mono-magmatic volcaniclastic turbidites that were directly linked to collapse events of the north flank of Stromboli; (c) multi-magmatic volcaniclastic turbidites resulting from the mixing of materials from multiple volcanic sources during transport through the Stromboli channel. We focused on the upper 2 m of the cores, representing the Holocene period, where sedimentological and geochemical analysis allowed the identification of three primary tephra layers, which could be correlated with well-known eruptions on land. These include the Vallone Gabellotto rhyolitic tephra (~9–8.7 ka) at the base of the investigated sections and which constrains the record to the last ~10 kyr, a high-K trachyandesitic tephra related to Neostromboli explosive activity (~8.7–6 ka), and the Monte Pilato rhyolitic tephra (~1.2 ka BP) near the top of the cores. Together, these markers provide a solid time frame for constraining the ages of the intercalated volcaniclastic deposits. Within this framework, at least 8 mono-magmatic volcaniclastic turbidites were identified that are geochemically correlated with the main eruptive periods of Stromboli. Due to their homogeneous compositions, we interpreted these turbidites as genetically related to collapse events at the flank of Stromboli, implying that at least 8 large-scale landslide events have occurred at Stromboli during the Holocene. Compared with the 2002 tsunamigenic landslide (~30 × 10⁶ m³), the landslide volumes estimated from the turbidite thicknesses (~45 × 10⁶ to ~58.5 × 107 m³) suggest that all were of higher magnitude and potentially tsunamigenic.
This study highlights how marine tephrochronology represents an effective tool to reconstruct volcanic events and associated risks, providing crucial data for hazard assessment and mitigation strategy development in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea.
How to cite: Da Mommio, S., Di Roberto, A., Voloschina, M., Bertagnini, A., Rosi, M., Freundt, A., Kutterolf, S., De Rosa, R., Donato, P., Marani, M., and Pistolesi, M.: Marine tephrochronology at Stromboli volcano: reconstruction of flank collapses and tsunami hazards over the last 10,000 years, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-17274, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-17274, 2026.
The ancient Maya, renowned for their remarkable cultural achievements and complex societal structures, prospered for over a millennium within the volcanic landscapes of Mesoamerica (a region that today includes Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador). Although interwoven into Maya history, and possibly even a contributing cause for their decline during the Terminal Classic Period (AD 800–1000), the precise nature of this relationship with volcanism remains unresolved. Volcanic ash (tephra) is known to have frequently blanketed the Maya lowlands, yet previous evidence has been limited to spatially patchy records with poor chronological control. This project utilises the cryptotephra record of newly recovered, annually laminated (varved) lake sediment sequences from the Yucatán Peninsula (Lake San Claudio in Mexico and Lake Petexbatún in Guatemala) to reconstruct the sub-annual timing and dispersal of eruptions for the first time. In parallel, we geochemically analyse volcanic ash preserved as ceramic temper in pottery from the Classic Maya site of El Palmar (Mexico), providing a direct archaeological record of tephra exploitation and use. Together, these complementary datasets link environmental records of volcanism with archaeological evidence for the use of volcanic ash in material culture. This integrated approach offers new insight into the climatic and societal impacts of eruptions and how Maya communities may have responded to, engaged with, and utilised volcanic products.
How to cite: McLean, D., Kitaba, I., Tsukamoto, K., Omori, T., Nakagawa, T., Smith, V., Nasu, H., Mollinedo, M., Pinzón, F., Nagaya, K., Torres, T., Inomata, T., Geurds, A., Macias, J. L., and Project Members, M. V.: Reliance or Resilience? Volcanism and the Ancient Maya, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-17221, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-17221, 2026.
Reconstructing the eruptive history of active volcanic complexes is essential for carrying out a proper long-term volcanic hazard assessment. This reconstruction relies on the accurate correlation of volcanic deposits (e.g. tephra layers), which is often hampered by compositional overlaps between units. Traditional methods (e.g. comparison of samples using harker diagrams of two elements) often struggle with the high-dimensional nature of geochemical data. On the other hand, data-driven approaches (e.g. cluster analysis) offer a robust solution by using statistical algorithms to objectively identify subtle geochemical signatures.
The lack of extensive and homogeneous datasets prevents using data-driven approaches for tephra correlation studies, as it is the case of the Teide-Pico Viejo (T-PV) volcanic complex (Tenerife, Canary Islands). Despite posing a significant threat to a densely populated island, T-PV's eruptive dynamics remain only partially constrained: current models attribute high-explosivity (sub-plinian) events primarily to satellite felsic domes (e.g., Montaña Blanca, Pico Cabras), whereas activity at the main Teide stratocone is widely assumed to be limited to moderate-intensity, violent Strombolian eruptions. However, stratigraphic constraints on Teide’s northern flank remain limited, as the source vents for a significant number of tephra deposits have not been identified yet.
To link these unidentified deposits to their source vent, we constructed a geochemical dataset of 74 samples that integrates reference material (lavas and tephras with source vents confirmed by geological mapping) with the target unidentified tephra layers. We analyzed the complete suite for whole-rock geochemistry and micro-analytical phases (phenocrysts and glasses) in some selected samples. We then developed a two-stage data-driven workflow: first, we performed an agglomerative Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) on whole-rock major and trace elements to group the unknown tephras with chemically affine reference lava and/or tephra samples. Second, these potential correlations were validated through petrographic assessment and a second HCA on the electron probe microanalyses (EPMA) of glass and minerals. The accuracy of our methodology is evidenced by the correct attribution of reference lava-tephra pairs from known eruptions (e.g. Montaña Blanca and Montaña Majúa).
When applied to the unidentified deposits, this method enabled the correlation of three previously unidentified tephra deposits: one with Montaña Reventada eruption, and two with the central Teide vent. Both Teide-sourced eruptions, dated to <10 ka, reveal that the Teide stratocone has hosted significant sub-plinian activity during the Holocene. This finding suggests that the explosivity of the central vent has been historically underestimated, necessitating a re-evaluation of volcanic hazard assessment for the island.
This research was partially funded by E.G., grant EVE (DG ECHO H2020 Ref. 826292), the Intramural CSIC grant MAPCAN (Ref. 202130E083), and Sub-Project 1 ‘Canary Islands, destiny of Volcanoes’, funded by PROMOTUR SA through Next Generation EU funds, PRTR. 2024krQ00nnn. OD was supported by an FPU grant (FPU18/02572) and a complementary mobility grant (EST19/00297) from the Ministry of Universities of Spain.
How to cite: Dorado, O., Geyer, A., H. Pineda, A., and Martí, J.: Unveiling hidden Holocene explosive activity at Teide volcano through Data-Driven tephra correlation, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-9808, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-9808, 2026.
Archaeological sites in NW Africa spanning the last ~300 kyrs are rich in human fossils and artefacts and have emerged at the forefront of evolutionary studies. However, these records lack a precise chronology, preventing robust assessments of the drivers of cultural and behavioural transitions. Investigations reveal that numerous volcanic ash (tephra) layers are interbedded within the Palaeolithic cave sequences and these likely originated from large volcanic eruptions in the Azores and Canary Islands. These tephra layers are also preserved in offshore marine records that have palaeoclimate data, and these can be used as time-stratigraphic markers to correlate the sedimentary proxy records in this region.
The explosive eruption histories of the Azores and Canary Islands have been studied, but prior to our investigations, there were limited glass chemistry data for the large explosive eruptions over the last 300 kyrs. Here we present and discuss the major and trace element glass compositions of the deposits from the Azores and Canary Islands. These data provide insights into melt storage and eruption at these ocean island volcanoes. Furthermore, we use these glass chemistry data to correlate the proximal eruption deposits with distal tephra identified in marine records and cave sites. This integrated tephrostratigraphy allows us to refine the timing and dispersal of major felsic eruptions and to precisely link volcanism, climate, and Palaeolithic cultural records, thus permitting their interrelationships to be interrogated.
How to cite: Smith, V., McLean, D., Wilkinson-Rowe, E., Horn, E., Pimentel, A., Pacheco, J., Brown, R., Aguiar, S., Project Members, C., and Barton, N.: Developing a tephrostratigraphic framework for the Azores and Canary Islands to correlate and date archaeological and palaeoenvironmental records in NW Africa, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-13494, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-13494, 2026.
The Tyrrhenian Basin is a natural laboratory for tephrochronology, serving as an exceptional, nearly-proximal archive for the eruptive products of several highly active volcanic provinces. Investigations in this region have proven exceptionally productive for correlating and synchronizing geological records and reconstructing the explosive history of the Central Mediterranean region; however, continuous, high-resolution records are still requisite for fully resolving complex eruptive sequences. Within this context, we present a detailed characterization of the 5.7 m long NDT09 marine sediment sequence retrieved from the Marsili Basin, conducted as part of the AMUSED project (https://progetti.ingv.it/index.php/it/amused). By integrating textural analyses (SEM) with high-precision glass geochemistry (EMPA and LA-ICP-MS), radiocarbon dating, and paleomagnetic data, we established a robust age-depth model for the NDT09 core, spanning the last ca. 15 ka. This multiproxy approach facilitated the identification of 20 distinct tephra and cryptotephra layers. Chemical fingerprinting correlates these deposits unequivocally to the Campi Flegrei, Somma-Vesuvius, Aeolian Islands, and Ischia volcanic complexes. In particular, we identified the following eruptions for Campi Flegrei: Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT), La Pigna 1, Soccavo 1, Pomici Principali, Fondi di Baia, and at least three undetermined eruptions. For the Somma-Vesuvius volcano, we recognized eruptions of Mercato, AP3, and 512 A.D.. For the Aeolian Islands, we recognized the activity of Vallone del Gabellotto of Lipari and an eruption within the Upper Brown Tuff phase of Vulcano. Lastly, we identified tephra from Cannavale and Arso eruptions sourced by Ischia. Furthermore, the stratigraphy highlights the presence of turbiditic deposits, potentially resulting from mass-wasting events originating on the flanks of insular volcanic edifices.
Crucially, this sedimentary record provides novel insights into eruptive frequencies and dispersal patterns. Rather than merely confirming established stratigraphies, our results delineate previously unrecognized explosive events and refine the temporal recurrence interval of major volcanic phases.
This high-resolution reconstruction provides a fresh perspective on the dynamics and recurrence rates of peri-Tyrrhenian volcanism, allows the refinement of age constraints, and the recognition of new and intriguing insights for deciphering the volcanic history of peri-Tyrrhenian volcanoes.
How to cite: Di Roberto, A., Re, G., Insinga, D. D., Scateni, B., Caricchi, C., Petrelli, M., and Macrì, P.: Tephrochronology of the NDT09 core (Marsili Basin): Unraveling the style, timing, and frequency of peri-Tyrrhenian volcanism, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-17801, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-17801, 2026.
A prominent barrier to adopting open science and FAIR data practices is the workload required for generating and sharing standards-following well-documented data. The Geological Laboratory Analytical Archive System (GLAAS) is aimed at directly minimizing this barrier by facilitating the operational capture of metadata while following and supporting laboratory workflows. This approach greatly eases the process of archiving and publishing FAIR data with rich contextual metadata following research community best practice standards. This system is inspired by Sparrow (https://sparrow-data.org/) for analytical lab documentation and Strabo (https://strabospot.org/) for field data capture and documentation.
The current schema includes people, projects, funding sources, physical sample cataloging, sample and sub-sample curation, sample preparation, analytical target cataloging, bulk and in-situ microanalytical geochemistry, analytical methods and instruments, grain size analysis, volcanological componentry, optical images, SEM images, and resulting publications. An authenticated-access, user-friendly web interface allows users to access and record their data from any secure network/facility. The designated PI or owner can manage their overall project and sample visibility (denoting projects as public or private), and they can configure multiple levels of project data access and management for their team of collaborators and for members of the public. Datasets designated public are accessible to all other researchers, helping to foster and promote open science.
The development of this multi-component system and database gained valuable insight and direction from previous tephra community workshop participants, NSF-supported best practices development (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01515-y), IEDA EarthChem and SESAR collaborations, and early stage Concord University undergraduate student contributions. These helped to refine the schema design and workflow support for FAIR data practices. Prototypes are being tested at Concord University with the intention to eventually make this tool available for the broader tephra-mineralogy-petrology and analytical lab community. The creation, dissemination, and wider adoption of this data system will strengthen user-driven, user-controlled documentation of research samples and data thus help to make much more science information readily Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.
How to cite: Kuehn, S., Nalesnik, A., Teams, S. I., and Parcheta, D.: GLAAS, a FAIR data information system for tephra laboratory research, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-15650, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-15650, 2026.
Deep-sea cores are pivotal in constructing long tephrochronological frameworks. Correlations of tephra layers between cores improve their individual age models and enables the compilation of composite tephrochronological model using a Bayesian age modeling approach. Subsequently, tephra layers with new or refined age estimates may provide an age reference for previously undated deposits or events.
The Kuril Island Arc is the least studied volcanic belt of the northern Pacific because of its remoteness and the limited exposure of volcanic edifices above sea level. Our recent deep-sea tephrochronological studies in the NW Pacific, near the Kamchatka peninsula, have produced a 6.2 Ma chronology of large volcanic eruptions mostly from Kamchatka volcanoes. To the south, only one site of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 145 Site 881 provides a long sedimentary sequence likely recording volcanic eruptions of the Kurils. To construct the tephrochronological model for Site 881, visible tephra layers from Holes 881A to 881D were sampled, geochemically fingerprinted using single-shard EMPA and LA-ICP-MS analyses, correlated among the cores and then matched to the Detroit Seamount reference chronology.
Although studied tephra layers appear undisturbed, the depth interval between 92 and 122 m (depth below sea floor in core 881B) hosts four tephra sequences that contain sets of ash layers repetitively redeposited as coherent units from deeper levels (122-148 m). The original sequence and three redeposited intervals are sandwiched between undisturbed tephra layers correlating to the DS61 and DS69 tephras from the Detroit Seamount reference chronology with the ages of 1.27 Ma and 1.61 Ma, respectively. We interpret this previously unknown stratigraphic repetition as the result of stacking within a subaqueous landslide occurred at ~1.29 Ma.
The Site 881 is located in a footwall of a normal fault revealed by seismic profiling, approximately 800 m south of the fault scarp (Rea et al., 1993). Although the fault was previously considered inactive, an onboard seismic-lithological correlation permitted to trace fault plane through subunit 1B of presumed Late Miocene – Pliocene age. We consider a slip on this fault to be the most possible trigger of the landslide, indicating fault activity in the Quaternary.
These results allowed us to resolve the tephrostratigraphy of ODP Site 881 and to establish a reliable age model based on dated tephra layers. The refined model adjust the original age model within the redeposited interval by up to 300 ka. This case illustrates that detailed geochemical studies of tephra layers in marine cores can substantially improve age model accuracy and are crucial to avoid misinterpretation of chronology in sedimentary sequences.
How to cite: Portnyagin, M., Zelenin, E., and Ponomareva, V.: Deep-sea intraplate paleoseismicity recorded in tephrostratigraphy of ODP Site 881, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-21509, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-21509, 2026.
Volcanic flank collapses represent one of the most hazardous mass-wasting processes at ocean-island volcanoes due to their potential to generate large tsunamis. Fogo volcano, located within the Cabo Verde Archipelago off the coast of West Africa, is a highly active volcanic system associated with multiple geohazards, including explosive eruptions, seismicity, landslides, and tsunamis caused by flank collapses. These processes result in the widespread submarine deposition of volcaniclastic material. However, the source mechanisms, emplacement dynamics and spatial distribution of these deposits remain poorly understood.
Here we present 12 sediment cores, recovered proximal to distal from Fogo during research cruise M155 aboard RV Meteor, which contain multiple volcanogenic event layers. These layers provide archives for reconstructing mass-wasting activity and offer potential for stratigraphic correlation in marine records.
This study unravels the mechanisms responsible for the formation of volcanogenic turbidites and establishes diagnostic criteria for distinguishing different types of volcaniclastic mass-transport deposits. Thereby emphasis is placed on identifying characteristic sedimentological and compositional features associated with individual event layers. We use a combined approach of structural analyses on sediment epoxy peals, quantitative sediment petrography coupled with glass-chemistry and age-modelling. This unique approach allows assigning the compositional and structural variations of volcaniclastic material to primary deposits related to flank collapses, landslides, and pyroclastic density currents from Fogo, and secondary deposits generated by other mass-wasting events and tsunami backwash in the region. Furthermore, these findings contribute to a better understanding of submarine volcanic processes and associated geohazards at ocean-island volcanoes.
How to cite: Scheffler, J., Kutterolf, S., Hadré, E., Ramalho, R., Klügel, A., Wolf, J., Schenk, J., and Krastel, S.: Linking composition and emplacement mechanisms of volcaniclastic mass transport deposits offshore Fogo, Cabo Verde, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-6865, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-6865, 2026.
The Fucino Basin in central Italy hosts a thick, continuous lacustrine sedimentary succession documenting the environmental history from the Early Pliocene to recent historical times. This distinguishes it as a unique archive within the Central Apennines and an extraordinary record within the Mediterranean region and on a global scale. Over the past decade, drilling operations have recovered several sediment successions from the Fucino Basin to ascertain the viability of the sediment archive for palaeoenvironmental, palaeoclimatic, tectonic and volcanic studies. The overarching ambition is to initiate an ICDP deep-drilling campaign (MEME project) recovering the complete basin history. The basin is located downwind of most Italian volcanic districts (< 150 km). This promotes its potential to explore the past explosive volcanic activity of the peri-Tyrrhenian volcanoes and to establish an outstanding tephrostratigraphic and tephrochronological record for the Central Mediterranean region. Here tephrostratigraphic and -chronological results from two drill sites (F1-F3, F4-F5) of the central part of the basin are presented, whose composite record comprises more than 140 tephra layers identified within the last 430 ka. The geochemical fingerprint of 116 of these tephra layers was successfully characterized by major and minor element glass compositions and extended for specific tephra layers by trace element and isotope data of glass and/or mineral phases. The geochronology of the Fucino tephra record is constrained by 47 radioisotopic ages, of which 18 represent 40Ar/39Ar ages directly obtained from tephra layers within the Fucino succession. This makes the Fucino record currently the most precisely dated Mediterranean Middle-Upper Pleistocene tephra archive. The combination of geochemical, stratigraphic and chronological data facilitates the unravelling the volcanic origin of tephra layers and the establishment of a robust tephrostratigraphic framework integrating proximal volcanic, but also other (mid)distal sedimentary tephra records. The Fucino tephra record provides unique insights into the different active phases of the respective Italian volcanic districts and centres, identifying prominent known and many previously unknown eruptions. Most tephra layers originate from the Latium volcanoes, which underwent their prime activity during the Middle Pleistocene, while, after 200 ka the main explosive activity of the Neapolitan volcanoes is also recorded.
The overall resulting tephrochronological information allows the construction of a comprehensive age-depth series of the Fucino sedimentary succession. This facilitates a reassessment of existing eruption ages and provides ages for previously undated tephra layers. Based on the improved chronology and more complete knowledge of volcanic activity, volcanic recurrence rates can be refined, but also climate-volcano interactions may be investigated. Furthermore, the Fucino tephrochronology provides a robust and independent chronology for the multiproxy series, allowing the Quaternary paleoclimatic-environmental dynamics to be explored independent of any a priori assumptions on response times to climate forcing and feedback.
How to cite: Leicher, N., Monaco, L., Giaccio, B., Albert, P. G., Pereira, A., Nomade, S., Palladino, D. M., Sottili, G., Gaeta, M., Arienzo, I., D’Antonio, M., Petrosino, P., Niespolo, E. M., Renne, P. R., Zanchetta, G., and Wagner, B.: Tracing 430,000 Years of Explosive Volcanism in Central Italy: Tephrostratigraphy and Tephrochronology of the Fucino Basin, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-10964, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-10964, 2026.
There is now a wealth of glass-shard geochemical data for volcanic ash (tephra) layers from a wide range of volcanoes and eruptions, providing invaluable datasets for tephrochronology. However, compiling published data to assess tephra correlations leads to unwieldy files and requires careful management to keep records of sources and other associated metadata. Here we show that a project within the IntChron Integration Tool (Ramsey et al., 2019), an open-access and versatile online application, can be used to effectively store and manage tephra information, geochemical data, and relevant metadata, while also providing visualisation and statistical tools.
The visualisation functionality allows sites to be plotted on a variety of base maps, enables the plotting of tephra concentrations through a sequence, and generates biplots of major and trace elements. The statistical tools are similarly invaluable for investigating compositional variability and relationships, and for assessing the probability that datasets correlate. Many of these tools were developed for the RESET database (Ramsey et al., 2015) and have since been updated and incorporated into the IntChron Integration Tool.
Project files use a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) text-based file structure, meaning the files remain small, even for large datasets, and are human readable. Moreover, these data files can be easily read by other tools, code, and can be readily uploaded to repositories. An IntChron Integration Tool project supports the entire workflow, from sample and data collection through analysis and interpretation, to the generation of publication-ready plots.
Here we present an example project structure, and exhibit the functionality using published data from distal tephra layers in the Lake Suigetsu core, and proximal eruption deposits from large explosive eruptions of volcanoes across Japan. This project contains over 7000 geochemical analyses from eleven journal articles, demonstrating the power of the IntChron Integration Tool to manage, visualise, and archive comprehensive geochemical datasets.
References:
Ramsey, C.B., Blaauw, M., Kearney, R., Staff, R.A., 2019. The Importance of Open Access to Chronological Information: The IntChron Initiative. Radiocarbon 61, 1121–1131. https://doi.org/10.1017/rdc.2019.21
Ramsey, C.B., Housley, R.A., Lane, C.S., Smith, V.C., Pollard, A.M., 2015. The RESET tephra database and associated analytical tools. Quaternary Science Reviews 33–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.11.008
How to cite: Smith, V., Bronk Ramsey, C., McLean, D., Horn, E., and Kane, G.: Managing, visualising, and archiving geochemical datasets for tephra correlation using the IntChron Integration Tool, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-13685, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-13685, 2026.
The Eastern Anatolian Volcanic Province (EAVP) has a highly fragmented and understudied eruption history. The volcanoes of Nemrut and Süphan are known to be major sources of volcanic ash in the eastern Mediterranean region. Numerous distal tephra and cryptotephra layers originating from these two volcanoes are found within important archaeological and palaeoenvironmental records across the region. However, the limited availability of robust glass geochemical data and well-constrained eruption histories has so far prevented these tephra layers being used to their full tephrochronological potential.
Here, we present a refined tephrochronological framework for Nemrut and Süphan, as part of the DFG funded TephroMed and TephroBridge projects. We investigated all the visible tephra layers (V-layers) of the ICDP Ahlat Ridge core, Lake Van (Turkey), focusing on the last Interglacial to glacial period (30-130 ka). The volcanic glasses from these V-layers have been geochemically characterised by using major and minor (EPMA) with the addition of trace element analysis (LA-ICP-MS). This data is combined with glass geochemical analyses of proximal tephra deposits from dated tephra outcrops surrounding Lake Van.
The results reveal the volcanic origins of the 107 V-layers. Integration of this data with new geochemical correlations to dated proximal deposits allows ages to be assigned to key eruption events. This refined tephrochronological framework provides a foundation for investigating interactions between volcanic activity and climatic variability, while significantly improving chronological control of paleoenvironmental and archaeological records. Ultimately, this work enables improved regional synchronisation across the eastern Mediterranean and advances the development of Mediterranean tephrochronology, helping to bridge a critical gap in current knowledge.
How to cite: Schwab, M. J., Kearney, R., Goff, J., Smith, V., Özdemir, Y., Karaoǧlu, Ö., van Schijndel, V., Thirlwall, M., Barfod, D., Appelt, O., Günter, C., Fietzke, J., Pickarski, N., Neugebauer, I., Brauer, A., and Tjallingii, R.: Redefining Eastern Anatolian Tephrochronology: insights from Nemrut and Süphan volcanoes, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-19986, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-19986, 2026.
Volcanic ash (tephra) layers are potent tools for correlating sedimentary records and constructing robust Quaternary chronologies. However, rapidly growing glass geochemical datasets present new challenges. Traditional scatter plots show only two elements at a time, forcing analysts to examine many variable pairs to see the whole picture. Many samples may contain poor analyses or mixed glass populations from complex eruptions, reworked sediment, or temporally close events, which require careful filtering before correlation. In addition, building the sophisticated Bayesian age models now standard in the field remains time-intensive, even for experienced researchers. These challenges motivate tools that streamline repetitive tasks while preserving the expert judgment essential for accurate tephra work.
To address these needs, we developed VARG-Tools, an open-source software suite for glass compositional data analysis and the generation of age model (OxCal) code, accessible entirely through a web browser. The software guides researchers through the complete tephrochronological workflow via three interconnected modules:
- The Processing Module prepares glass geochemical data for examination. It handles missing values, applies compositional data transformations, and uses Gaussian Mixture Modelling (GMM) to identify distinct glass populations and automatically flag statistical outliers. It then applies a dimensionality reduction technique called Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) to project multi-element oxide chemistry into a simplified two-dimensional space where compositionally similar samples plot together. UMAP enables rapid visual assessment of likely volcanic sources or other compositional groupings. Users can also interactively select points directly in plots and assign custom labels, such as population groups or quality flags (e.g., “feldspar-contaminated analysis”).
- The Visualization Module generates publication-quality figures interactively. Features include custom plotting of point data and density fields (with options for filtering, variable selection, and styling), automatic identification of the most discriminating element pairs, and tools for visualizing UMAP-projected values against depth or age. Tie points identified between sites can be exported directly for chronological modelling.
- The Chronology Module automates the generation of Bayesian age-model code for OxCal. From simple spreadsheet inputs, VARG-Tools generates code for depositional models and linked multi-site models that use tephra correlations to calculate shared ages, potentially significantly reducing age-model setup time.
VARG-Tools also introduces the “VARG26 UMAP,” a pre-calculated compositional coordinate system built from tephra across the northern Pacific Ring of Fire (Kamchatka, Alaska, and Japan). Researchers can project their data onto this standardized coordinate system, providing a stable comparative baseline for future studies. Users can also create and save custom reference projections based on their uploaded datasets. Fixed randomization seeds ensure identical results when analyses are repeated, supporting reproducible, FAIR-compliant tephra research. We demonstrate the workflow using peat records from Anchor Point, Alaska, where linking sites through tephra correlations substantially improves chronological precision.
How to cite: Bolton, M. and Jensen, B.: VARG-Tools: Browser-Based Software to Streamline Tephra Correlation and Bayesian Age Modelling, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-5991, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-5991, 2026.
Over the past decade, communities within the geosciences have formed around the development of best practices for sharing data and samples, driven by the need to make access and reuse of data easier and to grow confidence and trust in research results through transparency and reproducibility. But moving principles to practices encounters challenges and communities specifically identified problems with finding data and tools relevant to the community, and lack of resources to create reliable and sustainable infrastructure for storing, archiving, and reusing data. Aiming to help communities overcome these challenges, the NSF-funded IEDA2 data facility established ‘EarthChem Communities’ as a platform to promote community specific FAIR-compliant data best practices and to facilitate access to the data. EarthChem’s ‘Tephra Community’ has been the most active and mature one. In 2024, this community embarked on a collaborative project with IEDA2 to develop a more scalable and comprehensive set of resources for communities to improve their data sharing practices - the Framework for FAIR Data Communities (FFDC). The new NSF Tephra Information Portal (TIP) project now serves as a development prototype and test case for the FFDC.
The TIP has two main objectives: 1. to provide a central point of discovery and access of data in currently distributed and disconnected tephra data resources, and 2. to offer guidance and tools for researchers to adopt the best practices of the Tephra Community, publishing their data in a way that ensures they are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (= FAIR). For its first version, the TIP has been working with existing cyberinfrastructure resources relevant to tephra research (EarthChem, PetDB, GeoDIVA, SESAR, TephraBase, StraboSpot) to connect these to the central search and access hub. Work has so far focused on designing and developing interoperability between external systems and the central data discovery hub, and on the development of the user interface for data search and display. A dedicated TIP API has been developed to function as a proxy and data-aggregation layer, integrating mapped data from partner systems through a federated architecture, in which a single client request triggers concurrent queries across participating services. The TIP user interface reuses core search components developed for the EarthChem PetDB project, including the map interface, dynamic filter selection, point-selection popovers, responsive layouts, and MUI-based data tables. In this presentation, we will present the first version of the TIP Search Interface, which connects tephra data in EarthChem’s PetDB database, data in the GeoDIVA database of the Alaska Volcano Observatory and SESAR (System for Earth Sample Registration). Work is still ongoing to connect TephraBase data. We will also report on lessons learned so far. Semantic misalignment across sources, conflicting vocabularies, overloaded or ambiguous metadata fields, and duplicates are major challenges that present roadblocks to the hub development.
How to cite: Lehnert, K., Nalesnik, A., Figueroa, J. D., Cao, S., Celnick, M., Crass, S., Harmon, D., Kurbatov, A., Nastan, A., Newton, A., Novak, N., Wallace, K., Smith, V., and Kuehn, S.: The Tephra Information Portal (TIP): A Community-Driven Approach to Facilitating Access and Reuse of FAIR Tephra Data and Samples, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-15261, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-15261, 2026.
Large-scale glacial deposits are widespread across far northeastern Asia; however, their ages remain poorly constrained, limiting understanding of the glacial history of Western Beringia and its relationship to other Northern Hemisphere glacial records. A key challenge is correlating glacial deposits from sites separated by hundreds of kilometers. Geochemically characterized tephras provide an opportunity to link glacial deposits from different localities and, in addition, to correlate onshore glacial records with marine paleoenvironmental archives and the LR04 oxygen-isotope curve. We present new tephrochronological constraints on glacial deposits from Western Beringia, including the Kamchatka Peninsula and the northeastern Asian mainland, and correlate these records with marine sediment cores using geochemically fingerprinted ash layers.
The Kamchatka Peninsula is located on the northeastern edge of Eurasia and is bordered by the Okhotsk Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea to the east. Kamchatka hosts two volcanic belts that were active throughout the Quaternary and produced large explosive eruptions, dispersing tephra over hundreds of kilometers. A series of tephra-bearing sediments, including glacial till, is exposed along the right bank of the Kamchatka River, which marks the maximum known advance of the Sredinny Range glaciers, approximately 100 km from the source area. The lowermost exposed unit of the sequence was dated to 350-250 ka, providing a minimum age constraint for the overlying till. Five tephra layers bracketing the till were correlated with tephras found in four marine cores from the Okhotsk Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Based on the core age models, the tephra sequence spans 230 to 177 ka BP, corresponding to MIS 7d – 6d. The till at its most distal position is sandwiched between ~230 ka and 205 ka old tephras indicating that the glacier reached its maximum extent during MIS 7d. The youngest ~177 ka old Rauchua tephra overlies the till closer to the source area, suggesting a slow glacier retreat toward MIS 6d.
The same ~230 ka tephra is preserved between regionally extensive glacial till and overlying glaciofluvial deposits on the northeastern Asian mainland, about 750 km northwest of the Kamchatka sites. This indicates a synchronous glacial advance and presence of large ice masses across vast areas of far northeastern Asia during MIS 7d. Based on published data, these deposits represent the most extensive glaciation in the region, whereas younger MIS 6 glaciations were confined to mountainous areas. Our findings challenge the conventional view of MIS 7 as a warm interglacial and underscores the significance of MIS 7d as a major cold stadial within the Penultimate Interglacial.
How to cite: Ponomareva, V., Zelenin, E., Portnyagin, M., Bubenshchikova, N., Pevzner, M., and Dirksen, O.: Tephrochronological constraints indicate a MIS 7 age for the middle Pleistocene glacial maximum in far northeastern Asia, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-21027, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-21027, 2026.
Tephra is a key tool for constructing stratigraphic and chronological frameworks that enable the precise correlation of palaeoclimate, palaeoenvironmental, and archaeological records. Cryptotephra, with its greater dispersal potential, can extend these frameworks to an intercontinental scale, which helps constrain rapid regional climatic and environmental transitions. Even very low-concentration tephra layers can play a significant role in refining these records, making it crucial to identify all tephra layers within a sediment record. Here, we aim to develop a novel method for detecting tephra within sediment records that is rapid, non-destructive, and capable of producing a comprehensive record.
Currently, cryptotephra layers are identified through laboratory methods, which can take anywhere from several months to years to process extensive lake sediment records (10s-100s of metres in length). To complement these methods, core scanning techniques (e.g. X-ray fluorescence (XRF), magnetic susceptibility, X-ray CT) are utilised to expedite the identification of tephra layers. Still, they can face limitations when identifying cryptotephra layers that share similar physical characteristics with the host sediment.
To build upon these identification methods, we have developed an AI neural network model. This model is trained on elemental compositions from a 1 mm resolution XRF scanning (AVAATECH) dataset, from the diatom and organic-rich varved sediment record of Lake Chala (Kenya/Tanzania). This model is designed to complement existing identification techniques by more efficiently predicting the presence of both visible and cryptotephra layers, surpassing the capabilities of standard statistical data reduction methods. It has undergone multiple training iterations and demonstrates the capability to predict all laboratory-identified tephra layers within a test subsection of the record. Additionally, the model has undergone sensitivity tuning to improve the accuracy of these predictions.
This model will enable more efficient screening of sediment cores and prioritisation of samples for laboratory analysis. By accelerating the detection process without compromising the completeness of the tephra record, the model supports the development of regional tephrostratigraphic frameworks, correlation of regional palaeorecords, and development of complete volcanic eruption records. Future work will focus on expanding the model’s applicability across diverse sedimentary records with different background-sediment compositions. We anticipate that this model will contribute to a more efficient and accessible approach to tephra detection in extended lake sediment records.
How to cite: Edwards, M., Aquino-López, M. A., Lane, C., Vidal, C.-M., van Daele, M., and Verschuren, D.: Neural network model detection of tephra horizons in lake sediments using XRF elemental composition data, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-11708, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-11708, 2026.
