Mineral magnetic properties of sediments in Dragomirna Reservoir, Suceava County, Romania

Abstract

Sediment cores from Dragomirna Reservoir were extracted in 2012 with two different corers. Downcore susceptibility and remanence of magnetic minerals in the sediment composition were measured to assess their likely sources and pathways of deposition. Variability in the computed magnetic parameters shows the incrementa et decrementa of human footprint on reservoir sediments from 1964 until 2012. This period corresponds to the ascension and decline of industry and agriculture in Suceava metropolitan area. The high sedimentation rate dilutes the magnetic signal in the sediments, but, even under these circumstances, this reservoir proved to be a useful environmental archive.