High resolution 10Be and 230Th profiles in DSDP site 580

10Be and 230Th profiles were measured at Site 580 at a depth of 20 m (230Th and 10Be) and 80 m (10Be), corresponding to 360 ka and 1.5 Ma, respectively, with a resolution of approx. 5000 a. The radiometric sediment accumulation rates of 6.2 cm/ka (±25%) agree well with the average for the last 730 ka (via paleomagnetic stratigraphy). Age corrected concentrations of 10Be range from 2 to 7x109 atoms/g (average 3.5±1). The variations of the 10Be concentrations can be explained by changes in the sediment supply during different climatic conditions. The maxima and the minima of 10Be follow the fluctuations of excess 230Th in the core section during the last 360 ka. Fluxes of both 10Be and 230Th exceed production and vary remarkably throughout time suggesting enhanced scavenging by bioproductivity. At the Brunhess-Matuyama boundary we observe a maximum of 10Be (6.0±0.3x109 atoms/g, corresponding to 2.5 σ deviation from the average value). However, the observed large fluctuations of Be-10 throughout the core profile make it difficult to interprete this particular maximum. (orig.)