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 |