We present an approach to dating of carbonates using isotopic maps. The maps are divided into squares called virtual spots. For each virtual spot, statistical values (mean, uncertainty) are used to determine the age. The user can modify the size and location of the virtual spots and select those that give the most robust age. This approach, applied to high-spatial-resolution images, makes it possible for the first time to obtain satisfactory ages on maps as small as 100 µm x 100 µm.

Accurate readings on the environmental gamma dose rate are important. Portable gamma-ray detectors, such as those that are NaI- or LaBr₃-based, are easy to handle and affordable. Limited information on alternatives, like CZT (cadmium zinc telluride) detectors, is available. We tested CZT detectors and found them suitable for in-field deployment. We used simulations and field tests to evaluate the optimal energy threshold for direct dose rate readings, making the CZT system a reliable alternative.

Our study investigated the influence of plant processes on oxygen dynamics, crucial for paleoclimatology. By examining maize respiration and photosynthesis using advanced techniques, we enhanced our understanding of past climates through ice core analysis.

The impact of deep-sea mining will depend critically on the ability of larval dispersal of hydrothermal mollusks to connect and replenish natural populations. However, assessing connectivity is extremely challenging, especially in the deep sea. Here, we investigate the potential of using the chemical composition of larval shells to discriminate larval origins between multiple hydrothermal sites in the southwest Pacific. Our results confirm that this method can be applied with high accuracy.

To improve the interpretation of the δ¹⁸O_atm and Δ¹⁷O of O₂ in air bubbles in ice cores, we need to better quantify the oxygen fractionation coefficients associated with biological processes. We performed a simplified analogue of the terrestrial biosphere in a closed chamber. We found a respiration fractionation in agreement with the previous estimates at the microorganism scale, and a terrestrial photosynthetic fractionation was found. This has an impact on the estimation of the Dole effect.