The urban sediments of Karlsplatz, Vienna (Austria) as a reference section for the Anthropocene series

Author(s)

Michael Wagreich, Maria Meszar, Kira Lappé, Janis Wolf, Martin Mosser, Katrin Hornek, Veronika Koukal, Constance Litschauer, Nikolaos Piperakis, Karin Hain

Abstract

Anthropogenic strata form the layered urban archive in the underground of large cities. In a transdisciplinary project involving geosciences, isotope physics and urban archaeology, we looked for artificial isotopes and anthropogenic trace metals. The tested archaeological site Karlsplatz is situated in the city of Vienna (Austria). Archaeology and historical data sets provide age constraints around 1922, post-1945 and at 1959. A layer on top of the WW2 rubble that covers foundations of a 1922 building post-dates 1945, and pre-dates the levelling of the artificial park ground in 1959. The fine-grained sediment matrix of these layers is mixed with backfilled soil material. Samples were analysed for trace elements such as lead, copper and zinc, and prepared for chemical separation of actinides analysed by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). Several artificial radionuclides, including the plutonium and uranium isotopes

²³⁹Pu,

²⁴⁰Pu and

²³⁶U, were found in the post-1945 layer, and the

²⁴⁰Pu/

²³⁹Pu isotope ratio clearly points to the presence of atmospheric atomic bomb fallout material of the 1950s. Thus, the bomb-spike can be identified and used as a primary stratigraphic marker even in coarse urban anthropogenic sediments, exemplifying the correlation potential of these radionuclide markers and marking a correlative reference section for the Anthropocene series.

Organisation(s)

Department of Geology, Isotope Physics

External organisation(s)

Wien Museum, Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien

Journal

The Anthropocene Review

Volume

10

Pages

316-329

No. of pages

14

ISSN

2053-0196

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1177/20530196221136427

Publication date

2022

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

105127 Geochronology, 105112 Historical geology, 105123 Stratigraphy

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Geology, Global and Planetary Change, Ecology

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/0a068a5f-c9b6-4f5a-bf56-0df7ea6c1dfa