date: Tue Feb 10 11:48:02 2009
from: Phil Jones
subject: Re: Icelandic sediment detection of atmospheric lead -- AAAS
to: "Bruce Dorminey"
Bruce,
Thanks for the paper. I was on the HOLSMEER project, which is long finished,
that provided the funds for this saltmarsh work in Iceland, as well as others
in the UK, Ireland and Portugal. The two British Isles sites had much larger
Pb concentrations in Roman times than the Icelandic one. I vaguely recall
the Portuguese site having dating problems and probably not being old enough anyway.
I think all it adds is that it is possible to detect the influence of early metal
working - and its effect through the atmosphere and oceans in more distant parts.
As the timing in Iceland agrees with Scottish and Irish sources (but much weaker), the
Icelandic
source is clearly from Europe - as opposed to being North American.
Later in the 20th century, it is possible to see the introduction of lead in petrol
and even its replacement with unleaded.
Cheers
Phil
At 09:58 10/02/2009, you wrote:
Dear Phil:
I'm a science journalist doing a breaking news story for the AAAS' ScienceNOW news
service here in the U.S., on the attached paper by Wil Marshall of the University of
Plymouth's putative detection of 2000 year old atmospheric lead pollution from an
Icelandic salt marsh.
I wonder if you would kindly take a look at it and offer some comment on it's
significance; its methodology. In other words, what importance is this to the history
of climatology in regards to man-made pollution? How does it fit the pattern of what is
already known and what does it add to the canon?
Many thanks, Bruce
Bruce Dorminey
wikipedia: [1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Dorminey
book link:
[2]http://www.amazon.com/Distant-Wanderers-Search-Planets-System/dp/0387950745/sr=1-1/qi
d=1159268294/ref=sr_1_1/002-4521384-9880818?ie=UTF8&s=books
tel: 1 206 529 7658
[3]brucedorminey@gmail.com
Prof. Phil Jones
Climatic Research Unit Telephone +44 (0) 1603 592090
School of Environmental Sciences Fax +44 (0) 1603 507784
University of East Anglia
Norwich Email p.jones@uea.ac.uk
NR4 7TJ
UK
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