Chronostratigraphy on sediment core CRP-2 from the Ross Sea, Antarctica

Strontium isotope stratigraphy was used to date 16 discrete horizons within the CRP-2/2A drillhole. Reworked Quaternary (<1.7 Ma) and possible Pliocene (<2.4 Ma) sediments overlie a major sequence boundary at 25.92 meters below sea floor (mbsf). This hiatus is estimated to account for c. 16 Myr of missing section. Early Miocene to ?earliest Oligocene (c. 18.6 to >31 Ma) deposits below this boundary were cut by multiple erosion surfaces of uncertain duration. Strontium isotope ages are combined with 40Ar/39Ar dates, diatom and calcareous nannofossil datum and a palaeomagnetic polarity zonation, to produce an age model for the core.

Facies investigations on sediment core CRP-3 from the Ross Sea, Antarctica

The Cenozoic Victoria Land Basin (VLB) stratigraphic section penetrated by CRP-3 is mostly of Early Oligocene age. It contains an array of lithofacies comprising fine-grained mudrocks, interlaminated and interbedded mudrocks/sandstones, mud-rich and mud-poor sandstones, conglomerates and diamctites that are together interpreted as the products of shallow marine to possibly non-marine environments of deposition, affected by the periodic advance and retreat of tidewater glaciers. This lithofacies assemblage can be readily rationalised using the facies scheme designed originally for CRP-2/2A, and published previously. The uppermost 330 metres below sea floor (mbsf) shows a cyclical arrangement of lithofacies also similar to that recognised throughout CRP-2/2A, and interpreted to reflect cyclical variations in relative sea-level driven by ice volume fluctuations ('Motif A'). Between 330 and 480 mbsf, a series of less clearly cyclical units, generally fining-upward but nonetheless incorporating a significant subset of the facies assemblage, has been identified and noted in the Initial Report as 'Motif B' Below 480 mbsf, the section is arranged into a repetitive succession of fining-upward units, each of which comprises dolerite clast conglomerate at the base passing upward into relatively thick intervals of sandstones. The cycles present down 480 mbsf are defined as sequences, each interpreted to record cyclical variation of relative sea-level. The thickness distribution of sequences in CRP-3 provides some insights into the geological variables controlling sediment accumulation in the Early Oligocene section. The uppermost part of the section in CRP-3 comprises two or three thick, complete sequences that show a broadly symmetrical arrangement of lithofacies (similar to Sequences 9-11 in CRP-2/2A). This suggests a period of relatively rapid tectonic subsidence, which allowed preservation of the complete facies cycle. Below Sequence 3, however, is a considerable interval of thin, incomplete and erosionally truncated sequences (4-23), which incorporates both the remainder of Motif A sequences and all Motif B sequences recognised. The thinner and more truncated sequences suggest sediment accumulation under conditions of reduced accommodation, and given the lack of evidence for glacial conditions (see Powell et al., this volume) tends to argue for a period of reduced tectonic subsidence. The section below 480 mbsf consists of a series of fining-upward, conglomerate to sandstone intervals which cannot be readily interpreted in terms of relative sea-level change. A relatively mudrock-rich interval above the basal conglomerate/breccia (782-762 mbsf) may record initial flooding of the basin during early rift subsidence. The lithostratigraphy summarised above has been linked to seismic reflection data using depth conversion techniques (Henrys et al., this volume). The three uppermost reflectors ('o', 'p' and 'q') correlate to the package of thick sequences 1-3, and several deeper reflectors can also be correlated to sequence boundaries. The package of thick Sequences 1-3 shows a sheet-like cross-sectional geometry on seismic reflection lines, unlike the similar package recognised in CRP-2/2A.

Dust record from the EPICA Dome C ice core, Antarctica, covering 0 to 800 kyr BP

Dust can affect the radiative balance of the atmosphere by absorbing or reflecting incoming solar radiation and it can be a source of micronutrients, such as iron, to the ocean. It has been suggested that production, transport, and deposition of dust is influenced by climatic changes on glacial-interglacial timescales. Here we present a high-resolution aeolian dust record from the EPICA Dome C ice core in East Antarctica, which provides an undisturbed climate sequence over the last eight climatic cycles. We find that there is a significant correlation between dust flux and temperature records during glacial periods that is absent during interglacial periods. Our data suggests that dust flux is increasingly correlated with Antarctic temperature as climate becomes colder. We interpret this as progressive coupling of Antarctic and lower latitudes climate. Limited changes in glacial-interglacial atmospheric transport time Mahowald et al. (1999, doi:10.1029/1999JD900084), Jouzel et al. (2007, doi:10.1126/science.1141038), and Werner et al. (2002, doi:10.1029/2002JD002365) suggest that the sources and lifetime of dust are the major factors controlling the high glacial dust input. We propose that the observed ~25-fold increase in glacial dust flux over all eight glacial periods can be attributed to a strengthening of South American dust sources, together with a longer atmospheric dust particle life-time in the upper troposphere resulting from a reduced hydrological cycle during the ice ages.

Magnetic properties, grain sizes, XRF Scanner Data of sediment core GeoB9307-3

Geochemical and mineralogical proxies for paleoenvironmental conditions have the underlying assumption that climate variations have an impact on terrestrial weathering conditions. Varying properties of terrigenous sediments deposited at sea are therefore often interpreted in terms of paleoenvironmental change. Also in gravity core GeoB9307-3 (18° 33.99' S, 37° 22.89' E), located off the Zambezi River, environmental changes during Heinrich Stadial 1 (HS 1) and the Younger Dryas (YD) are accompanied by changing properties of the terrigenous sediment fraction. Our study focuses on the relationship of variability in the hydrological system and changes in the magnetic properties, major element geochemistry and granulometry of the sediments. We propose that changes in bulk sedimentary properties concur with environmental change, although not as a direct response of climate driven pedogenic processes. Spatial varying rainfall intensities on a sub-basin scale modify sediment export from different parts of the Zambezi River basin. During humid phases, such as HS 1 and the YD, sediment was mainly exported from the coastal areas, while during more arid phases sediments mirror the hinterland soil and lithological properties and are likely derived from the northern Shire sub-basin. We propose that a de-coupling of sedimentological and organic signals with variable discharge and erosional activity can occur.

High-resolution marine record of sediment core MD99-2343 in the Balearic Sea

The IMAGES core MD99-2343, recovered from a sediment drift north of the island of Minorca, in the north-western Mediterranean Sea, holds a high-resolution sequence that is perfectly suited to study the oscillations of the overturning system of the Western Mediterranean Deep Water (WMDW). Detailed analysis of grain-size and bulk geochemical composition reveals the sensitivity of this region to climate changes at both orbital and centennial-millennial temporal scales during the last 50 kyr. The dominant orbital pattern in the K/Al record indicates that sediment supply to the basin was controlled by the insolation evolution at 40°N, which forced changes in the fluvial regime, with more efficient sediment transport during insolation maxima. This orbital control also modulated the long-term pattern of the WMDW intensity as illustrated by the silt/clay ratio. However, deep convection was particularly sensitive to climatic changes at shorter time-scales, i.e. to centennial-millennial glacial and Holocene oscillations that are well documented by all the paleocurrent intensity proxies (Si/Al, Ti/Al and silt/clay ratios). Benthic isotopic records (d13C and d18O) show a Dansgaard-Oeschger (D-O) pattern of variability of WMDW properties, which can be associated with changing intensities of the deep currents system. The most prominent reduction on the WMDW overturning was caused by the post-glacial sea level rise. Three main scenarios of WMDW overturning are revealed: a strong mode during D-O Stadials, a weak mode during D-O Interstadials and an intermediate mode during cooling transitions. In addition, D-O Stadials associated with Heinrich events (HEs) have a very distinct signature as the strong mode of circulation, typical for the other D-O Stadials, was never reached during HE due to the surface freshening induced by the inflowing polar waters. Consequently, the WMDW overturning system oscillated around the intermediate mode of circulation during HE. Though surface conditions were more stable during the Holocene, the WMDW overturning cell still reacted synchronously to short-lived events, as shown by increments in the planktonic d18O record, triggering quick reinforcements of the deep water circulation. Overall, these results highlight the sensitivity of the WMDW to rapid climate change which in the recent past were likely induced by oceanographic and atmospheric reorganizations in the North Atlantic region.

Grain-size analysis and geochemistry of sediment core GeoB13602-1

Grain-size, terrigenous element and rock magnetic remanence data of Quaternary marine sediments retrieved at the NW African continental margin off Gambia (gravity core GeoB 13602-1, 13°32.71' N, 17°50.96'W) were jointly analyzed by end-member (EM) unmixing methods to distinguish and budget past terrigenous fluxes. We compare and cross-validate the identified single-parameter EM systems and develop a numerical strategy to calculate associated multi-parameter EM properties. One aeolian and two fluvial EMs were found. The aeolian EM is much coarser than the fluvial EMs and is associated with a lower goethite/hematite ratio, a higher relative concentration of magnetite and lower Al/Si and Fe/K ratios. Accumulation rates and grain sizes of the fluvial sediment appear to be primarily constrained by shore distance (i.e., sea-level fluctuations) and to a lesser extent by changes in hinterland precipitation. High dust fluxes occurred during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and during Heinrich Stadials (HS) while the fluvial input remained unchanged. Our approach reveals that the LGM dust fluxes were ~7 times higher than today's. However, by far the highest dust accumulation occurred during HS 1 (~300 g m**-2 yr** -1), when dust fluxes were ~80 fold higher than today. Such numbers have not yet been reported for NW Africa, and emphasize strikingly different environmental conditions during HSs. They suggest that deflation rate and areal extent of HSs dust sources were much larger due to retreating vegetation covers. Beyond its regional and temporal scope, this study develops new, in principle, generally applicable strategies for multi-method end-member interpretation, validation and flux budgeting calibration.

Iron (Fe) concentrations and fluxes in TALDICE ice core 0.6 to 314 ky BP

Atmospheric fluxes of iron (Fe) over the past 200 kyr are reported for the coastal Antarctic Talos Dome ice core, based on acid leachable Fe concentrations. Fluxes of Fe to Talos Dome were consistently greater than those at Dome C, with the greatest difference observed during interglacial climates. We observe different Fe flux trends at Dome C and Talos Dome during the deglaciation and early Holocene, attributed to a combination of deglacial activation of dust sources local to Talos Dome and the reorganisation of atmospheric transport pathways with the retreat of the Ross Sea ice shelf. This supports similar findings based on dust particle sizes and fluxes and Rare Earth Element fluxes. We show that Ca and Fe should not be used as quantitative proxies for mineral dust, as they all demonstrate different deglacial trends at Talos Dome and Dome C. Considering that a 20 ppmv decrease in atmospheric CO2 at the coldest part of the last glacial maximum occurs contemporaneously with the period of greatest Fe and dust flux to Antarctica, we confirm that the maximum contribution of aeolian dust deposition to Southern Ocean sequestration of atmospheric CO2 is approximately 20 ppmv.

Terrigenous proxy record from ODP Site 202-1237 and sediment core RRV9702a-69PC

ODP Site 1237 and sediment core RRV9702a-69PC were investigated for siliciclastic grain-size distributions and changes in geochemical composition to reconstruct southeast trade-wind variability during the past 5 Ma. Because both, working and archive halves of all ODP Site 1237 cores were completely depleted between 3.3 and 8.1 meters composite depths, (mcd), the corresponding sections of pre-site survey core RRV9702A-69PC were sampled and investigated to fill the gap.

Nd and Mn concentration in planktonic foraminifera

Neodymium isotopes are becoming widely used as a palaeoceanographic tool for reconstructing the source and flow direction of water masses. A new method using planktonic foraminifera which have not been chemically cleaned has proven to be a promising means of avoiding contamination of the deep ocean palaeoceanographic signal by detrital material. However, the exact mechanism by which the Nd isotope signal from bottom waters becomes associated with planktonic foraminifera, the spatial distribution of rare earth element (REE) concentrations within the shell, and the possible mobility of REE ions during changing redox conditions, have not been fully investigated. Here we present REE concentration and Nd isotope data from mixed species of planktonic foraminifera taken from plankton tows, sediment traps and a sediment core from the NW Atlantic. We used multiple geochemical techniques to evaluate how, where and when REEs become associated with planktonic foraminifera as they settle through the water column, reside at the surface and are buried in the sediment. Analyses of foraminifera shells from plankton tows and sediment traps between 200 and 2938 m water depth indicate that only ~20% of their associated Nd is biogenically incorporated into the calcite structure. The remaining 80% is associated with authigenic metal oxides and organic matter, which form in the water column, and remain extraneous to the carbonate structure. Remineralisation of these organic and authigenic phases releases ions back into solution and creates new binding sites, allowing the Nd isotope ratio to undergo partial equilibration with the ambient seawater, as the foraminifera fall through the water column. Analyses of fossil foraminifera shells from sediment cores show that their REE concentrations increase by up to 10-fold at the sediment-water interface, and acquire an isotopic signature of bottom water. Adsorption and complexation of REE3+ ions between the inner layers of calcite contributes significantly to elevated REE concentrations in foraminifera. The most likely source of REE ions at this stage of enrichment is from bottom waters and from the remineralisation of oxide phases which are in chemical equilibrium with the bottom waters. As planktonic foraminifera are buried below the sediment-water interface redox-sensitive ion concentrations are adjusted within the shells depending on the pore-water oxygen concentration. The concentration of ions which are passively redox sensitive, such as REE3+ ions, is also controlled to some extent by this process. We infer that (a) the Nd isotope signature of bottom water is preserved in planktonic foraminifera and (b) that it relies on the limited mobility of particle reactive REE3+ ions, aided in some environments by micron-scale precipitation of MnCO3. This study indicates that there may be sedimentary environments under which the bottom water Nd isotope signature is not preserved by planktonic foraminifera. Tests to validate other core sites must be carried out before downcore records can be used to interpret palaeoceanographic changes.