Terrestrial ages of meteorites from the Atacama Desert (Chile) and insights into the past meteorite flux to Earth Carine Sadaka, Jérôme Gattacceca, Florian Dumas, Régis Braucher, Ingo Leya, et al. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 2026 The Atacama Desert in Chile is characterized by its high meteorite density and old meteorite terrestrial ages. In this work, we present new terrestrial ages derived from measurements of the concentration of cosmogenic 36 Cl in the metal fraction of 51 ordinary chondrites collected over a 6.8 km 2 area located in the Catalina Dense Collection Area (Atacama Desert). Cosmic‐ray exposure ages were also measured on a subset of the oldest meteorites to confirm that all but one had reached 36 Cl saturation before atmospheric entry. These meteorites have exceptionally old terrestrial ages, with an average of 937 ka (median 701 ka), making this collection the oldest known meteorite collection among hot deserts. This confirms that the Atacama Desert can preserve meteorites for long periods due to the prevailing stable hyper‐arid climatic conditions. By combining terrestrial ages with pairing‐corrected meteorite density estimates, we estimate the long‐term meteorite flux to Earth over the past 2 Myr to be 74 ± 9 meteorites >20 g per km 2 per Myr. This is consistent with estimates of (i) the modern flux, (ii) the integrated flux over the last ~100 kyr determined from Antarctic meteorites, and (iii) the average flux during the last ~50 kyr inferred from other hot desert collections. This suggests that the bulk meteorite flux to Earth has remained roughly stable over the past 2 Myr. We also investigate the compositional evolution of the flux by normalizing the H chondrite abundance to the total abundance of ordinary chondrites. Our results show a higher H chondrite abundance between 1200 and 400 ka, followed by a decline to present‐day values. This temporal variation is not captured by the current dynamical models for meteoroid transfer to Earth, suggesting that short‐term changes in the meteorite flux may be influenced by additional processes operating at a scale not considered by these models.
Cosmogenic 36Cl Dating of Fault Activity in East Messinia, Greece Constantin D. Athanassas, Vassiliki Kanavou, Regis Braucher, Ioannis Vakalas, Ioannis Ladas, et al. Geohazards, 2026 This work deals with the quantification of long-term fault slip rates as a basis for seismic hazard assessment along a segment of the Eastern Messinia Fault Zone (EMFZ) in southwestern Peloponnese, Greece. Using cosmogenic 36Cl exposure dating, it provides independent numerical constraints on recent deformation. The resulting late Holocene slip-rate estimates (~0.32–0.46 mm/yr) confirm ongoing fault activity, consistent with earlier paleoseismological and geomorphic studies, while indicating spatially distributed extension. These rates imply loading timescales of several hundred years for moderate (Mw ≈ 5.8–6.0) earthquakes. Although individual exposure ages cannot be uniquely associated with single seismic events, they offer robust benchmarks for cumulative displacement and long-term strain accumulation. Overall, this work demonstrates how numerical dating methods (particularly cosmogenic nuclide techniques applied to carbonate bedrock) can link geological observations with engineering requirements by constraining fault behavior over 103–105 year timescales and improving long-term seismic hazard evaluation in complex tectonic settings.
A test of reproducibility of authigenic beryllium extraction from clay sediment in the facility of the dept. of geology and palaeontology, comenius university in bratislava (Slovakia) Acta Geologica Slovaca, 2018
AMS 13 - Preface Régis Braucher, Didier Bourlès Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 2015
Preparation of ASTER in-house 10Be/9Be standard solutions R. Braucher, V. Guillou, D.L. Bourlès, M. Arnold, G. Aumaître, et al. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 2015
Integrating geochronological methods to constrain the age of uplifted marine terraces, Ionian coast of Northern Calabria Rendiconti Online Societa Geologica Italiana, 2012
Reply to comment by K. Pedoja et al. on "Tectonic record of strain buildup and abrupt coseismic stress release across the northwestern Peru coastal plain, shelf, and continental slope during the past 200 kyr" Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth, 2011
Micrometeorites from the Transantarctic Mountains P. Rochette, L. Folco, C. Suavet, M. van Ginneken, J. Gattacceca, et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2008
The first Large Flake Acheulean in Europe at Revilleja de Valparaíso site, Hortigüela, Spain FJ García-Vadillo, E Carbonell, XP Rodríguez-Álvarez, A Benito-Calvo, ... Quaternary Science Reviews 383, 109977 , 2026 2026
Timing of deglaciation and slope evolution in the Furkotská Valley, the High Tatra Mountains, Central Europe Z Engel, T Uxová, R Braucher, M Křížek, G Aumître, F Zaidi, ... Catena 268, 110052 , 2026 2026
Glacial-interglacial cycles in the Western Alps (Middle Durance Valley, France): sedimentary evolution and responses of continental surfaces V Dervis, A Nutz, M Rizza, R Braucher, P Dietrich, H Tissoux European Geosciences Union General Assembly (EGU26), EGU26-12949 , 2026 2026
Evidence of Early Holocene outburst floods from landslide-dammed lakes in the Central Baikal Rift Zone, Eastern Siberia SG Arzhannikov, AV Arzhannikova, R Braucher, AA Chebotarev Quaternary International 763, 110198 , 2026 2026
Landslides on an arid mesa: From lava flow to landslide fringe in the Patagonian volcanic tableland J Kilnar, T Pánek, M Břežný, R Braucher, D Winocur, V Stacke, A Kaňa Geomorphology, 110359 , 2026 2026
Multi-method constraints on late Pleistocene glacier fluctuations in the Ossau valley (SW France), with wider implications for the Pyrenean icefield during the last glacial maximum M Delmas, T Reixach, R Braucher, I Girault, ME Torcheboeuf, Y Gunnell, ... Quaternary Science Reviews 378, 109880 , 2026 2026
Large landslides and lake evolution in the semi-arid volcanic tableland of the Sarmiento Basin (Patagonia): when did the last major failures occur? T Pánek, J Kilnar, M Břežný, R Smedley, R Braucher, D Winocur, ... Quaternary Science Reviews 378, 109870 , 2026 2026
Terrestrial ages of meteorites from the Atacama Desert (Chile) and insights into the past meteorite flux to Earth C Sadaka, J Gattacceca, F Dumas, R Braucher, ASTER Team, I Leya, ... Meteoritics & Planetary Science 61 (4), 644-663 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Preparation of geological samples for 10Be and 26Al measurements by accelerator Mass Spectrometry at the French National Laboratory for Cosmogenic Nuclides (LN2C) L Léanni, S Gairoard, G Aumaître, K Keddadouche, F Zaidi, R Braucher, ... Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam … , 2026 2026
Reconstructing Plio-Quaternary fluctuations of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet in Terre Adélie inferred from cosmogenic nuclides (10Be-26Al) in glacially-polished bedrock … Y Rolland, M Péan, P Valla, G Duclaux, R Braucher, V Jomelli, V Favier, ... EGU26 , 2026 2026
Multi-millennial increased humidity in the Atacama Desert during MIS 5e: evidence from a lacustrine record in southern Peru M Nieslony, S Zerathe, P Valla, D Ochoa, L Albinez, D Gomez, F Delgado, ... EGU26 , 2026 2026
Cosmogenic 36 Cl Dating of Fault Activity in East Messinia, Greece CD Athanassas, V Kanavou, R Braucher, I Vakalas, I Ladas, ... GeoHazards 7 (1), 22 , 2026 2026
Paleolithic hominin occupations and Quaternary geomorphological evolution in the NE Ararat Depression (Armenia) T Karampaglidis, K Fenn, B Gasparyan, R Braucher, T Lauer, S Vainer, ... Quaternary Science Reviews 368, 109532 , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
Mission Préhistorique Franco-Angolaise-Rapport 2025 I Mesfin, CM Raul, EP Benjamim, DD Pavei, P Coutros, N Zeljy, Y Zhou, ... Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires Etrangères-Commission consultative des … , 2025 2025
Lateglacial and Holocene mountain glacier fluctuations near Cape Farewell South Greenland inferred from 10 Be moraine dating V Jomelli, J Charton, JM Fernández‐Fernández, R Braucher, ... Journal of Quaternary Science 40 (8), 1344-1363 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Cycles glaciaires-interglaciaires dans les Alpes occidentales (Vallée de la Moyenne Durance, France): évolution sédimentaire et réponses des surfaces continentales A Nutz, V Dervis, M Rizza, P Dietrich, R Braucher, H Tissoux 29 ème édition de la réunion des sciences de la Terre (RST 2025), 657946 , 2025 2025
Multi-method dating (¹⁰Be, ³⁶Cl, and ¹⁴C) of the Ossau Valley moraine complex (Pyrenees, France). A new stronghold of asynchronous glacier maximum advance relative to the … M Delmas, T Reixach, R Braucher, ME Torcheboeuf, Y Gunnell, M Calvet, ... 29eme édition de la Réunion des sciences de la Terre , 2025 2025
High alpine preglacial caves modified by glacial processes and late condensation-corrosion in the Scerscen Valley (Valmalenco, Western Alps, Italy) P Audra, J De Waele, A Uggeri, D Cailhol, IM D'angeli, A Fiorucci, ... Geomorphology, 110054 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
New age constraints of the LGM onset in the Bohemian Forest–Central Europe V Duffek, Z Engel, R Braucher, P Mentlík, A Team Open Geosciences 17 (1), 20250846 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Late Pleistocene thrust tectonics in the north Peruvian forearc revealed by Terrestrial Cosmogenic Nuclides surface exposure dating, field structural data and seismic profiles A Peuzin, M Saillard, N Espurt, R Braucher, M Régnier, G Duclaux, ... Tectonophysics 910, 230798 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Early Pleistocene presence of Acheulian hominins in south India S Pappu, Y Gunnell, K Akhilesh, R Braucher, M Taieb, F Demory, ... science 331 (6024), 1596-1599 , 2011 2011 Citations: 400
Production of cosmogenic radionuclides at great depth: A multi element approach R Braucher, S Merchel, J Borgomano, DL Bourlès Earth and Planetary Science Letters 309 (1-2), 1-9 , 2011 2011 Citations: 377
The French accelerator mass spectrometry facility ASTER: improved performance and developments M Arnold, S Merchel, DL Bourlès, R Braucher, L Benedetti, RC Finkel, ... Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam … , 2010 2010 Citations: 343
Cosmogenic nuclide dating of Sahelanthropus tchadensis and Australopithecus bahrelghazali: Mio-Pliocene hominids from Chad AE Lebatard, DL Bourlès, P Duringer, M Jolivet, R Braucher, J Carcaillet, ... Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105 (9), 3226-3231 , 2008 2008 Citations: 294
Slope instability in relation to glacial debuttressing in alpine areas (Upper Durance catchment, southeastern France): Evidence from field data and 10Be cosmic ray exposure ages E Cossart, R Braucher, M Fort, DL Bourlès, J Carcaillet Geomorphology 95 (1-2), 3-26 , 2008 2008 Citations: 289
Mongolian summits: an uplifted, flat, old but still preserved erosion surface M Jolivet, JF Ritz, R Vassallo, C Larroque, R Braucher, M Todbileg, ... Geology 35 (10), 871-874 , 2007 2007 Citations: 251
Uplift age and rates of the Gurvan Bogd system (Gobi-Altay) by apatite fission track analysis R Vassallo, M Jolivet, JF Ritz, R Braucher, CH Larroque, C Sue, ... Earth and Planetary Science Letters 259 (3-4), 333-346 , 2007 2007 Citations: 250
In situ produced 10Be measurements at great depths: implications for production rates by fast muons R Braucher, ET Brown, DL Bourlès, F Colin Earth and Planetary Science Letters 211 (3-4), 251-258 , 2003 2003 Citations: 241
Age and date for early arrival of the Acheulian in Europe (Barranc de la Boella, la Canonja, Spain) J Vallverdú, P Saladié, A Rosas, R Huguet, I Cáceres, M Mosquera, ... PloS one 9 (7), e103634 , 2014 2014 Citations: 233
Cumulative right-lateral fault slip rate across the Zagros—Makran transfer zone: role of the Minab—Zendan fault system in accommodating Arabia—Eurasia convergence in … V Regard, O Bellier, JC Thomas, D Bourles, S Bonnet, MR Abbassi, ... Geophysical Journal International 162 (1), 177-203 , 2005 2005 Citations: 216
High slip rate for a low seismicity along the Palu‐Koro active fault in central Sulawesi (Indonesia) O Bellier, M Sébrier, T Beaudouin, M Villeneuve, R Braucher, D Bourles, ... Terra Nova 13 (6), 463-470 , 2001 2001 Citations: 214
Late Pleistocene and Holocene glaciation in the Pyrenees: a critical review and new evidence from 10Be exposure ages, south-central Pyrenees R Pallas, A Rodes, R Braucher, J Carcaillet, M Ortuno, J Bordonau, ... Quaternary Science Reviews 25 (21-22), 2937-2963 , 2006 2006 Citations: 210
Preparation of ASTER in-house 10Be/9Be standard solutions R Braucher, V Guillou, DL Bourlès, M Arnold, G Aumaître, ... Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam … , 2015 2015 Citations: 195
Towards more precise 10Be and 36Cl data from measurements at the 10− 14 level: Influence of sample preparation S Merchel, M Arnold, G Aumaître, L Benedetti, DL Bourlès, R Braucher, ... Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam … , 2008 2008 Citations: 181
Relationships between tectonics, slope instability and climate change: cosmic ray exposure dating of active faults, landslides and glacial surfaces in the SW Alps G Sanchez, Y Rolland, M Corsini, R Braucher, D Bourlès, M Arnold, ... Geomorphology 117 (1-2), 1-13 , 2010 2010 Citations: 162
Determination of both exposure time and denudation rate from an in situ-produced 10Be depth profile: a mathematical proof of uniqueness. Model sensitivity and applications to … R Braucher, P Del Castillo, L Siame, AJ Hidy, DL Bourlés Quaternary Geochronology 4 (1), 56-67 , 2009 2009 Citations: 160
Micrometeorites from the transantarctic mountains P Rochette, L Folco, C Suavet, M Van Ginneken, J Gattacceca, ... Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105 (47), 18206-18211 , 2008 2008 Citations: 157
Local erosion rates versus active tectonics: cosmic ray exposure modelling in Provence (south-east France) L Siame, O Bellier, R Braucher, M Sébrier, M Cushing, D Bourlès, ... Earth and Planetary Science Letters 220 (3-4), 345-364 , 2004 2004 Citations: 150
Exposure age chronology of the last glaciation in the eastern Pyrenees M Delmas, Y Gunnell, R Braucher, M Calvet, D Bourlès Quaternary Research 69 (2), 231-241 , 2008 2008 Citations: 149
Mid-Holocene cluster of large-scale landslides revealed in the Southwestern Alps by 36Cl dating. Insight on an Alpine-scale landslide activity S Zerathe, T Lebourg, R Braucher, D Bourlès Quaternary Science Reviews 90, 106-127 , 2014 2014 Citations: 144
