Carbonate concentrations of ODP Leg 115 samples

We measured carbonate concentrations in Pleistocene and Pliocene sediments deposited at Sites 709, 710, and 711. Carbonate concentrations exhibit low-amplitude, long-wave length (300-400 k.y. period) variations at the shallowest sites (709 and 710). Before 2.47 Ma, all three sites exhibit higher frequency (100 k.y. period) variations. The deepest site (711) exhibited low-amplitude variations and very low concentrations up to the Gauss/Matuyama magnetic reversal (2.47 Ma), then concentrations abruptly increased. After 2.47 Ma, carbonate concentrations at Site 711 exhibited the same periodic changes as at Site 709. Although a long wave-length periodicity (260-280 k.y.) occurs at these sites after 2.47 Ma, the 100 k.y. period is absent. The dominant periods observed in these data are those found in the eccentricity component of the earth's orbital geometry. Estimates of carbonate accumulation at Sites 709 and 710 document that surface-water productivity decreased near the Gauss/Matuyama magnetic reversal whereas accumulation at Site 711 increased. These results indicate that the rate of carbonate preservation in the deep Indian Ocean increased at that time. This increase in preservation may have re- sulted from a decrease in the production rate of carbonate in tropical oceans of the world. Carbonate accumulation esti- mated from sediments in shallow locations (~3000-3800 m) of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans also indicates that carbonate production decreased at this time. A consequence of lowered surface-water productivity is increased carbonate ion concentration of the deep ocean and better preservation of carbonate on the seafloor.