Globorotalia truncatulinoides Trace Element Geochemistry (Barium, Magnesium, Strontium, Manganese, and Calcium) from the Gulf of Mexico Sediment Trap

Observations of elevated barium-to-calcium ratio (Ba/Ca) in Globorotalia truncatulinoides have been attributed to contaminant phases, deep calcification depth and diagenetic processes. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and their collaborators investigated intra- and inter-test Ba/Ca variability in the non-spinose planktic foraminifer, G. truncatulinoides, from a sediment trap time series (2009-2017) in the northern Gulf of Mexico (generally 27.5°N and 90.3°W) to gain insights into the environmental influences on barium enrichment in this and other non-spinose species. Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used to differentiate between the elemental composition of the crust and lamellar calcite in non-encrusted (< 150 meters [m] calcification depth) and encrusted (> 250 meters calcification depth) specimens of G. truncatulinoides. For further information regarding data collection, processing methods, and/or results and interpretive study refer to Richey and others (2022).