(Table 1) Age determination of sediment cores OCE205-2-100GGGC and KNR166-2-31

Benthic foraminiferal Cd/Ca from a Florida Current sediment core documents the history of the northward penetration of southern source waters within the surface return flow of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). Cd seawater estimates (CdW) indicate that intermediate-depth southern source waters crossed the equator and contributed to the Florida Current during the Bølling-Allerød warm period of the last deglaciation, consistent with evidence of only a modest AMOC reduction compared to today. The CdW estimates also provide the first paleoceanographic evidence of a reduction in the influence of intermediate-depth southern source waters within the Florida Current during the Younger Dryas, a deglacial cold event characterized by a weak North Atlantic AMOC. Our results reveal a close correspondence between the northward penetration of intermediate-depth southern source waters and the influence of North Atlantic Deep Water, suggesting a possible link between intermediate-depth southern source waters and the strength of the Atlantic AMOC.

Sr/Ca and Cd/Ca ratios of benthic foraminifera in surface deep-sea sediments

Measurements of Sr/Ca of benthic foraminifera show a linear decrease with water depth which is superimposed upon significant variability identified by analyses of individual foraminifera. New data for Cd/Ca support previous work in defining a contrast between waters shallower and deeper than ~2500 m. Measured element partition coefficients in foraminiferal calcium carbonate relative to sea water (D) have been described by means of a one-box model in which elements are extracted by Rayleigh distillation from a biomineralization reservoir that serves for calcification with a constant fractionation factor (alpha), such that D = (1 - f**alpha)/(l - f), where f is the proportion of Ca remaining after precipitation. A modification to the model recognises differences in element speciation. The model is consistent with differences between D[Sr], D[Ba], and D[Cd] in benthic but not planktonic foraminifera. Depth variations in D for Sr and Ba are consistent with the model, as are differences in depth variation of D[Cd] in calcitic and aragonitic benthic foraminifera. The shallower depth variations may reflect increasing calcification rates with increasing water depth to an optimum of about 2500 m. Observations of unusually lower DCd for some deep waters, not accompanied by similar [Sr], or D[Ba] may be because of dissolution or a calcification response to a lower carbonate saturation state.