A multi-basin sedimentary mercury analysis of the Miocene Monterey Formation

Mercury (Hg) contents have been used as a novel tool to track ancient volcanic activity. Hg emitted from volcanoes is thought to be directly preserved in the sedimentary environment and, therefore, the sedimentary record. Mercury is delivered to oceans by weathering, soil loss, and biomass burning, so these factors must be considered when determining the controls on Hg anomalies. Furthermore, Hg is a redox-sensitive element, and its accumulation can be controlled by local redox processes. It is therefore necessary to constrain the local redox conditions of the basin in which Hg records are generated to provide context during data interpretation. Here, we will assess the various controls on Hg contents from three basins from the eastern Pacific Ocean during the Miocene. The local redox history has already been constrained using multi-proxy approach. This provides an opportunity to test the Hg proxy across a transect of terrigenous input.