Investigations of a 65 m long sediment core from Lake Como (northern Italy) have recently been initiated in cooperation with Prof. Alessandro Michetti and Elisa Martinelli from the University of Insubria/Como.
The core itself was already extracted in 2005, close to the cathedral of Como, some 300 m from the present-day lake shore. The sedimentary sequence will form the basis for a first palaeoenvironmental record for this particular lake. Multi-proxy analysis will include palynological studies, as well as geophysical and geochemical analyses. Following non-destructive analyses with core scanners (e.g., MSCL, XRF), destructive methods (e.g., FTIRS) will be undertaken. According to first radiocarbon ages (31 m: 12,496 ± 55 BP; 15,050–14,250 calBP), our work will contribute to the comprehension of the palaeoenvironment in the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene south of the Alps.
Drilling site close to the cathedral of Como. Photo: Nicole Höbig |