Mid and late Holocene dust deposition in Western Europe: The Misten peat bog (Hautes Fagnes - Belgium)

The Misten peat bog representing 7.5 m of peat accumulation in the Hautes-Fagnes Plateau, Belgium, provides a record of Rare Earth Elements (REE) deposition since more than 7000 years. The analyses of REE and lithogenic element concentrations, as well as the Nd isotopes, were performed by HR-ICP-MS and MC-ICP-MS, respectively in peat layers previously dated by 210Pb and 14C. REE concentration variations in peat samples are correlated with Ti, Zr and Sc that are lithogenic conservative elements, suggesting that REE are immobile in the studied peat bogs [1] and can be used as tracers of dust deposition. Peat humification, C/N ratio, ash content and bulk density were used to evaluate hydroclimatic conditions. The Nd values show large variability, between +1 to –22, identifying three major sources of dusts falling into the peat: local soils, distal volcanic and desert particles. More recently, industrial emissions provide a fourth source of dusts [2], which is also clearly recorded in the last 200 years of the Misten peat profile.