Holocene bipolar climate seesaw: possible subtle evidence from the deep North East Atlantic Ocean?

The occurrence of a millennial‐scale bipolar climate seesaw has been documented in detail for the last glacial period and Termination. There is, however, debate whether it occurs during interglacials and if it does what influence it could have on future climate. We present here new evidence from a North East Atlantic Ocean deep‐sea core which supports the hypothesis for a Holocene bipolar climate seesaw. BENGAL Site 13078#16, from the Porcupine Abyssal Plain, is 4844 m deep and situated at the North Atlantic Deep Water and Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) interface. Planktic foraminiferal fragment accumulation rate data at this site is an indicator of coarse carbonate dissolution, which is highly sensitive to the incursion of under‐saturated AABW. Five dissolution peaks have been identified, which seem to occur approximately 500 a after each of the North Atlantic 'Bond' ice rafting pulses, suggesting a subsequent subtle shallowing of AABW. This indicates a possible lagged climatic link between North East Atlantic surface water conditions and AABW production in the Southern Ocean during the Holocene. This provides the first tentative evidence that there was a Holocene bipolar climate seesaw and that the deep ocean was involved. This study also suggests that extremely sensitive locations need to be sought as the Holocene bipolar climate seesaw seems to be very subtle compared with its glacial counterparts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Aragonite preservation in late Quaternary sediment cores on the Brazilian Continental Slope: implications for intermediate water circulation

We present late Quaternary records of aragonite preservation determined for sediment cores recovered on the Brazilian Continental Slope (1790–2585 m water depth) where North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) dominates at present. We have used various indirect dissolution proxies (carbonate content, aragonite/calcite contents, and sand percentages) as well as gastropodal abundances and fragmentation of Limacina inflata to determine the state of aragonite preservation. In addition, microscopic investigations of the dissolution susceptibility of three Limacina species yielded the Limacina Dissolution Index which correlates well with most of the other proxies. Excellent preservation of aragonite was found in the Holocene section, whereas aragonite dissolution gradually increases downcore. This general pattern is attributed to an overall increase in aragonite corrosiveness of pore waters. Overprinted on this early diagenetic trend are high-frequency fluctuations of aragonite preservation, which may be related to climatically induced variations of intermediate water masses. Received: 9 November 1998 / Accepted: 25 August 1999     

Palaeoceanographic changes in the northern Barents Sea during the last 16 000 years – new constraints on the last deglaciation of the Svalbard–Barents Sea Ice Sheet

The sediment core NP05‐71GC, retrieved from 360 m water depth south of Kvitøya, northwestern Barents Sea, was investigated for the distribution of benthic and planktic foraminifera, stable isotopes and sedimentological parameters to reconstruct palaeoceanographic changes and the growth and retreat of the Svalbard–Barents Sea Ice Sheet during the last ～16 000 years. The purpose is to gain better insight into the timing and variability of ocean circulation, climatic changes and ice‐sheet behaviour during the deglaciation and the Holocene. The results show that glaciomarine sedimentation commenced c. 16 000 a BP, indicating that the ice sheet had retreated from its maximum position at the shelf edge around Svalbard before that time. A strong subsurface influx of Atlantic‐derived bottom water occurred from 14 600 a BP during the Bølling and Allerød interstadials and lasted until the onset of the Younger Dryas cooling. In the Younger Dryas cold interval, the sea surface was covered by near‐permanent sea ice. The early Holocene, 11 700–11 000 a BP, was influenced by meltwater, followed by a strong inflow of highly saline and chilled Atlantic Water until c. 8600 a BP. From 8600 to 7600 a BP, faunal and isotopic evidence indicates cooling and a weaker flow of the Atlantic Water followed by a stronger influence of Atlantic Water until c. 6000 a BP. Thereafter, the environment generally deteriorated. Our results imply that (i) the deglaciation occurred earlier in this area than previously thought, and (ii) the Younger Dryas ice sheet was smaller than indicated by previous reconstructions.     

Record of carbonate preservation and the Mid‐Brunhes climatic shift from a seamount top with low sedimentation rates in the Central Indian Basin

In the present investigation, an age model of carbonate‐rich cores from a seamount top in the Central Indian Basin (CIB) was constructed using both isotopic (²³⁰Th_excess, AMS ¹⁴C, oxygen isotopes) and biostratigraphic methods. The chronologies using the two methods are in good agreement, yielding a record of the late Middle Pleistocene to the Pleistocene–Holocene transition (550 to 11.5 ka). The first appearance datum (FAD) of the radiolarian Buccinosphaera invaginata (180 ka) and coccolith Emiliania huxleyi (268 ka) and the last appearance datum (LAD) of the radiolarian Stylatractus universus (425 ka) were used. A monsoon‐induced productivity increase was inferred from carbonate, organic carbon and δ¹³C records in response to the Mid‐Brunhes Climatic Shift (MBCS), consistent with an increased global productivity. While the coccolith diversity increased, a decrease in coccolith productivity was found during the MBCS. At nearly the same time period, earlier records from the equatorial Indian Ocean, western Indian Ocean and eastern Africa have shown an increased productivity in response to the influence of westerlies and increased monsoon. The influence of easterlies from Australia and the intensification of aridity are evidenced by increased kaolinite content and clay‐sized sediments in response to the MBCS. An increased abundance of Globorotalia menardii and other resistant species beginning from marine isotope stage (MIS) 11 and the proliferation of coccolith Gephyrocapsa spp. indicate increased dissolution, which is consistent with the widespread global carbonate dissolution during this period. The relatively high carbonate dissolution during the transition period of MIS 3/2 and glacial to interglacial periods (MIS 6, 7 and 8) may be due to the enhanced flow of corrosive Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) into the CIB.     

Formation of magnesium‐smectite during lacustrine carbonates early diagenesis: Study case of the volcanic crater lake Dziani Dzaha (Mayotte – Indian Ocean)

The volcanic crater lake of Dziani Dzaha in Mayotte is studied to constrain the geochemical settings and the diagenetic processes at the origin of Mg‐phyllosilicates associated with carbonate rocks. The Dziani Dzaha is characterized by intense primary productivity, volcanic gases bubbling in three locations and a volcanic catchment of phonolitic/alkaline composition. The lake water has an alkalinity of ca 0·2 mol l^?1 and pH values of ca 9·3. Cores of the lake sediments reaching up to one metre in length were collected and studied by means of carbon–hydrogen–nitrogen elemental analyzer, X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry and X‐ray powder diffraction. In surface sediments, the content of total organic carbon reaches up to 20 weight %. The mineral content consists of aragonite and hydromagnesite with minor amounts of alkaline feldspar and clinopyroxene from the volcanic catchment. Below 30 cm depth, X‐ray diffraction analyses of the <2 μm clay fraction indicate the presence of a saponite‐like mineral, a Mg‐rich smectite. The saponite‐like mineral accumulates at depth to reach up to ca 30 weight %, concurrent with a decrease of the contents of hydromagnesite and organic matter. Thermodynamic considerations and mineral assemblages suggest that the evolution of the sediment composition resulted from early diagenetic reactions. The formation of the saponite‐like mineral instead of Al‐free Mg‐silicates resulted from high aluminum availability, which is favoured in restricted lacustrine environments hosted in alkaline volcanic terrains commonly emplaced during early stages of continental rifting. Supersaturation of the lake water relative to saponite is especially due to high pH values, themselves derived from high primary productivity. This suggests that a genetic link may exist between saponite and the development of organic‐rich carbonate rocks, which may be fuelled by the input of CO₂‐rich volcanic gases. This provides novel insights into the composition and formation of saponite‐rich deposits under a specific geodynamic context such as the Cretaceous South Atlantic carbonate reservoirs.     

Ostracod palaeoecology and environmental change in the Laptev and Kara seas (Siberian Arctic) during the last 18 000 years

Fossil ostracod assemblages were investigated in five AMS ¹⁴ C‐dated cores from various water depths of the Laptev and Kara seas ranging from the upper continental slope (270 m) to the present‐day shelf depth (40 m). Six fossil assemblages were distinguished. These represent the varying environmental conditions at the North Siberian continental margin since about 18 ka. In the cores from the shelf the ostracod assemblages reflect the gradual transition from an estuarine brackish‐water environment to modern marine conditions since 12.3 ka, as induced by the regional early Holocene transgression. The core from the upper continental slope dates back to c. 17.6 ka and contains assemblages that are absent in the shelf cores. The assemblage older than 10 ka stands out as a specific community dominated by relatively deep‐water Arctic and North Atlantic species that also contains euryhaline species. Such an assemblage provides evidence for past inflows of Atlantic‐derived waters from as early as c. 17.2 ka, probably facilitated by upwelling in coastal polynyas, and a considerable riverine freshwater influence with enhanced surface water stratification owing to the proximity of the palaeocoastline until early Holocene times. In all studied cores, relative increases in euryhaline species dominant in the inner‐shelf regions are recorded in the mid–late Holocene sediments (<7 ka), which otherwise already contain modern‐like ostracod assemblages with relatively deep‐water species. This observation suggests euryhaline species to be largely sea‐ice‐ and/or iceberg‐rafted and therefore may provide evidence for a climate cooling trend.     

Sea surface temperature record off central Japan since the Last Glacial Maximum using planktonic foraminiferal Mg/Ca thermometry

We conducted paired measurements of the Mg/Ca ratio and δ¹⁸O of planktonic foraminifera, Globigerina bulloides, from a sediment core (MD01‐2420) off central Japan in the northwest Pacific, to reconstruct current movements since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). These methods make it possible to determine the magnitude and timing of the sea surface temperature (SST) changes and to reconstruct the variations of the past seawater δ¹⁸O (δ¹⁸Ow) off central Japan. The amplitude of Mg/Ca‐based SST changes between the Holocene and the LGM was about 10°C. The strong resemblance of the SSTs estimated from both methods, Mg/Ca‐based and δ¹⁸O‐based, suggests that the SST changes were caused primarily by latitudinal displacement of the Kuroshio–Oyashio currents and no distinct change in the carbonate dissolution of the core. The southward migration of the water mass was 5–6° in latitude at the LGM. The values for regional δ¹⁸Ow changes, which were obtained by subtracting the ice volume contribution from the calculated δ¹⁸Ow, describe the millennial‐scale water mass migration over the last 30 kyr. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A depositional model for hydromagnesite–magnesite playas near Atlin,British Columbia,Canada

This study formulates a comprehensive depositional model for hydromagnesite–magnesite playas. Mineralogical, isotopic and hydrogeochemical data are coupled with electron microscopy and field observations of the hydromagnesite–magnesite playas near Atlin, British Columbia, Canada. Four surface environments are recognized: wetlands, grasslands, localized mounds (metre‐scale) and amalgamated mounds composed primarily of hydromagnesite [Mg₅(CO₃)₄(OH)₂·4H₂O], which are interpreted to represent stages in playa genesis. Water chemistry, precipitation kinetics and depositional environment are primary controls on sediment mineralogy. At depth (average ≈ 2 m), Ca–Mg‐carbonate sediments overlay early Holocene glaciolacustrine sediments indicating deposition within a lake post‐deglaciation. This mineralogical change corresponds to a shift from siliciclastic to chemical carbonate deposition as the supply of fresh surface water (for example, glacier meltwater) ceased and was replaced by alkaline groundwater. Weathering of ultramafic bedrock in the region produces Mg–HCO₃ groundwater that concentrates by evaporation upon discharging into closed basins, occupied by the playas. An uppermost unit of Mg‐carbonate sediments (hydromagnesite mounds) overlies the Ca–Mg‐carbonate sediments. This second mineralogical shift corresponds to a change in the depositional environment from subaqueous to subaerial, occurring once sediments ‘emerged’ from the water surface. Capillary action and evaporation draw Mg–HCO₃ water up towards the ground surface, precipitating Mg‐carbonate minerals. Evaporation at the water table causes precipitation of lansfordite [MgCO₃·5H₂O] which partially cements pre‐existing sediments forming a hardpan. As carbonate deposition continues, the weight of the overlying sediments causes compaction and minor lateral movement of the mounds leading to amalgamation of localized mounds. Radiocarbon dating of buried vegetation at the Ca–Mg‐carbonate boundary indicates that there has been ca 8000 years of continuous Mg‐carbonate deposition at a rate of 0·4 mm yr^?1. The depositional model accounts for the many sedimentological, mineralogical and geochemical processes that occur in the four surface environments; elucidating past and present carbonate deposition.     

Bottom sediments and near-bottom currents in the Southwestern Atlantic

On the basis of the author’s data on the composition of sediments and seismic cross sections, together with literature data, the bottom topography was described and the main structural features of the top 10–100 m thick sedimentary sequence in the Southwestern Atlantic (Brazil Basin) were identified. The presence of a heavy northward flow of Antarctic bottom water (AABW) and its active erosive activity were confirmed. The AABW caused the erosion or redeposition of red pelagic clays and hemipelagic clays, which accumulated in the Brazil Basin in the Holocene and Pleistocene; the clays contain abundant redeposited Pleistocene diatoms and Neogene and Paleogene discoasters. In most of the sediment cores of the Brazil Basin, the red pelagic clays are of Pleistocene age. Contourites and sandy microlayers have been found in the sediments at the foot of the continental slope of South America; this is the effect of the Deep Western Boundary Current on the ocean floor. The AABW transfers Antarctic diatom species along the continental slope of South America to 10°-5° S. The presence of the Equatorial Midocean Channel with a relative depth of 149 m in the western pelagic equatorial part of the Atlantic was confirmed, and new channels, such as Vavilov and Akademik Ioffe, have been found. The AABW flows northward along the Equatorial Mid-Ocean Channel. Apparently, the Akademik Ioffe Channel is not a proper midocean channel. At 20° S (at a depth of 5000 m), Pleistocene diatomic (Ethmodiscus rex) ooze containing up to 74% amorphous SiO₂ was detected. On the Amazon-Mid-Atlantic Ridge profile, the AABW flows into the Guyana Basin through only one valley of the Nara Plain, with a depth of 4620 m. Near the Ceara Rise and on the Amazon Fan, no geologic traces of the AABW flow into the Guyana Basin were found. Near the Rio Grande Rise, the AABW might have appeared in the Eocene. The formation of the Vema Channel, which separates the Rio Grande Rise from South America, also began at that time. The AABW flows were the heaviest before the largest glaciations (particularly at isotopic stages 7/6 and 3/2).     

Holocene palaeoceanographic changes in Barrow Strait,Canadian Arctic: foraminiferal evidence

Holocene changes in the benthic and planktic foraminiferal fauna (>63 µm) from a marine sediment core (ARC‐3 Canadian Arctic Archipelago, 74° 16.050′ N, 91° 06.380′ W, water depth 347 m) show that significant environmental and palaeoceanographic variations occurred during the last 10 ka. Foraminiferal assemblages are restricted to the ca. 4.5–10 ka interval as younger samples are mostly barren of foraminifera due to intense carbonate dissolution after ca. 4.5 ka. Foraminiferal assemblages in the ca. 4.5–10 ka interval are dominated by the benthic species Islandiella helenae and Cassidulina reniforme (57% of total), with Elphidium clavatum, Cibicides lobatulus and Buccella frigida also being common in this interval. The dominance of these species indicates a seasonal sea ice regime which is consistent with the occurrence of the sea ice diatom‐derived organic geochemical biomarker IP₂₅ throughout the core. The abundances of C. reniforme and E. clavatum decline upcore; consistent with more frequent mixing of the Barrow Strait water column during the early Holocene. It is likely that the influence of CO₂‐rich Arctic surface water masses have caused an increase in bottom water corrosivity after ca. 8.5 ka, and dissolution has been further enhanced by sea ice‐related processes after ca. 6 ka, concomitant with increased IP₂₅ fluxes. Dissolution is strongest when IP₂₅ fluxes are highest, suggesting a link between the sea ice and benthic systems. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Salinity reflux and dolomitization of southern Australian slope sediments: the importance of low carbonate saturation levels

Anomalously saline waters in Ocean Drilling Program Holes 1127, 1129, 1130, 1131 and 1132, which penetrate southern Australian slope sediments, and isotopic analyses of large benthic foraminifera from southern Australian continental shelf sediments, indicate that Pleistocene–Holocene meso‐haline salinity reflux is occurring along the southern Australian margin. Ongoing dolomite formation is observed in slope sediments associated with marine waters commonly exceeding 50‰ salinity. A well‐flushed zone at the top of all holes contains pore waters with normal marine trace element contents, alkalinities and pH values. Dolomite precipitation occurs directly below the well‐flushed zone in two phases. Phase 1 is a nucleation stage associated with waters of relatively low pH (ca 7) caused by oxidation of H₂S diffusing upward from below. This dolomite precipitates in sediments < 80 m below the sea floor and has δ¹³C values consistent with having formed from normal sea water (? 1‰ to + 1‰ Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite). The Sr content of Phase 1 dolomite indicates that precipitation can occur prior to substantial metastable carbonate dissolution (< 300 ppm in Holes 1129 and 1127). Dolomite nucleation is interpreted to occur because the system is undersaturated with respect to the less stable minerals aragonite and Mg‐calcite, which form more readily in normal ocean water. Phase 2 is a growth stage associated with the dissolution of metastable carbonate in the acidified sea water. Analysis of large dolomite rhombs demonstrates that at depths > 80 m below the sea floor, Phase 2 dolomite grows on dolomite cores precipitated during Phase 1. Phase 2 dolomite has δ¹³C values similar to those of the surrounding bulk carbonate and high Sr values relative to Phase 1 dolomite, consistent with having formed in waters affected by aragonite and calcite dissolution. The nucleation stage in this model (Phase 1) challenges the more commonly accepted paradigm that inhibition of dolomitization by sea water is overcome by effectively increasing the saturation state of dolomite in sea water.     

Late Younger Dryas and early Holocene palaeoenvironments in the Skagerrak,eastern North Atlantic: a multiproxy study

Erbs‐Hansen, D. R., Knudsen, K. L., Gary, A. C., Jansen, E., Gyllencreutz, R., Scao, V. & Lambeck, K. 2011: Late Younger Dryas and early Holocene palaeoenvironments in the Skagerrak, eastern North Atlantic: a multiproxy study. Boreas, 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2011.00205.x. ISSN 0300‐9843 A high‐resolution study of palaeoenvironmental changes through the late Younger Dryas and early Holocene in the Skagerrak, the eastern North Atlantic, is based on multiproxy analyses of core MD99‐2286 combined with palaeowater depth modelling for the area. The late Younger Dryas was characterized by a cold ice‐distal benthic foraminiferal fauna. After the transition to the Preboreal (c. 11 650 cal. a BP) this fauna was replaced by a Cassidulina neoteretis‐dominated fauna, indicating the influence of chilled Atlantic Water at the sea floor. Persisting relatively cold bottom‐water conditions until c. 10 300 cal. a BP are presumably a result of an outflow of glacial meltwater from the Baltic area across south‐central Sweden, which led to a strong stratification of the water column at MD99‐2286, as also indicated by C. neoteretis. A short‐term peak in the C/N ratio at c. 10 200 cal. a BP is suggested to indicate input of terrestrial material, which may represent the drainage of an ice‐dammed lake in southern Norway, the Glomma event. After the last drainage route across south‐central Sweden closed, c. 10 300 cal. a BP, the meltwater influence diminished, and the Skagerrak resembled a fjord with a stable inflow of waters from the North Atlantic through the Norwegian Trench and a gradual increase in boreal species. Full interglacial conditions were established at the sea floor from c. 9250 cal. a BP. Subsequent warm stable conditions were interrupted by a short‐term cooling around 8300–8200 cal. a BP, representing the 8.2 ka event.     

Lacustrine sedimentation in active volcanic settings: the Late Quaternary depositional evolution of Lake Chungará (northern Chile)

Lake Chungará (18°15′S, 69°09′W, 4520 m above sea‐level) is the largest (22·5 km²) and deepest (40 m) lacustrine ecosystem in the Chilean Altiplano and its location in an active volcanic setting, provides an opportunity to evaluate environmental (volcanic vs. climatic) controls on lacustrine sedimentation. The Late Quaternary depositional history of the lake is reconstructed by means of a multiproxy study of 15 Kullenberg cores and seismic data. The chronological framework is supported by 10 ¹⁴C AMS dates and one ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U dates. Lake Chungará was formed prior to 12·8 cal kyr bp as a result of the partial collapse of the Parinacota volcano that impounded the Lauca river. The sedimentary architecture of the lacustrine succession has been controlled by (i) the strong inherited palaeo‐relief and (ii) changes in the accommodation space, caused by lake‐level fluctuations and tectonic subsidence. The first factor determined the location of the depocentre in the NW of the central plain. The second factor caused the area of deposition to extend towards the eastern and southern basin margins with accumulation of high‐stand sediments on the elevated marginal platforms. Synsedimentary normal faulting also increased accommodation and increased the rate of sedimentation in the northern part of the basin. Six sedimentary units were identified and correlated in the basin mainly using tephra keybeds. Unit 1 (Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene) is made up of laminated diatomite with some carbonate‐rich (calcite and aragonite) laminae. Unit 2 (Mid‐Holocene–Recent) is composed of massive to bedded diatomite with abundant tephra (lapilli and ash) layers. Some carbonate‐rich layers (calcite and aragonite) occur. Unit 3 consists of macrophyte‐rich diatomite deposited in nearshore environments. Unit 4 is composed of littoral sediments dominated by alternating charophyte‐rich and other aquatic macrophyte‐rich facies. Littoral carbonate productivity peaked when suitable shallow platforms were available for charophyte colonization. Clastic deposits in the lake are restricted to lake margins (Units 5 and 6). Diatom productivity peaked during a lowstand period (Unit 1 and subunit 2a), and was probably favoured by photic conditions affecting larger areas of the lake bottom. Offshore carbonate precipitation reached its maximum during the Early to Mid‐Holocene (ca 7·8 and 6·4 cal kyr bp ). This may have been favoured by increases in lake solute concentrations resulting from evaporation and calcium input because of the compositional changes in pyroclastic supply. Diatom and pollen data from offshore cores suggest a number of lake‐level fluctuations: a Late Pleistocene deepening episode (ca 12·6 cal kyr BP), four shallowing episodes during the Early to Mid‐Holocene (ca 10·5, 9·8, 7·8 and 6·7 cal kyr BP) and higher lake levels since the Mid‐Holocene (ca 5·7 cal kyr BP) until the present. Explosive activity at Parinacota volcano was very limited between c. >12·8 and 7·8 cal kyr bp . Mafic‐rich explosive eruptions from the Ajata satellite cones increased after ca 5·7 cal kyr bp until the present.     

The importance of changing oceanography in controlling late Quaternary carbonate sedimentation on a high-energy, tropical, oceanic ramp: north-western Australia

The North West Shelf is an ocean‐facing carbonate ramp that lies in a warm‐water setting adjacent to an arid hinterland of moderate to low relief. The sea floor is strongly affected by cyclonic storms, long‐period swells and large internal tides, resulting in preferentially accumulating coarse‐grained sediments. Circulation is dominated by the south‐flowing, low‐salinity Leeuwin Current, upwelling associated with the Indian Ocean Gyre, seaward‐flowing saline bottom waters generated by seasonal evaporation, and flashy fluvial discharge. Sediments are palimpsest, a variable mixture of relict, stranded and Holocene grains. Relict intraclasts, both skeletal and lithic, interpreted as having formed during sea‐level highstands of Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 3 and 4, are now localized to the mid‐ramp. The most conspicuous stranded particles are ooids and peloids, which ¹⁴C dating shows formed at 15·4–12·7 Ka, in somewhat saline waters during initial stages of post‐Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) sea‐level rise. It appears that initiation of Leeuwin Current flow with its relatively less saline, but oceanic waters arrested ooid formation such that subsequent benthic Holocene sediment is principally biofragmental, with sedimentation localized to the inner ramp and a ridge of planktic foraminifera offshore. Inner‐ramp deposits are a mixture of heterozoan and photozoan elements. Depositional facies reflect episodic environmental perturbation by riverine‐derived sediments and nutrients, resulting in a mixed habitat of oligotrophic (coral reefs and large benthic foraminifera) and mesotrophic (macroalgae and bryozoans) indicators. Holocene mid‐ramp sediment is heterozoan in character, but sparse, most probably because of the periodic seaward flow of saline bottom waters generated by coastal evaporation. Holocene outer‐ramp sediment is mainly pelagic, veneering shallow‐water sediments of Marine Isotope Stage 2, including LGM deposits. Phosphate accumulations at ≈ 200 m water depth suggest periodic upwelling or Fe‐redox pumping, whereas enhanced near‐surface productivity, probably associated with the interaction between the Leeuwin Current and Indian Ocean surface water, results in a linear ridge of pelagic sediment at ≈ 140 m water depth. This ramp depositional system in an arid climate has important applications for the geological record: inner‐ramp sediments can contain important heterozoan elements, mid‐ramp sediments with bedforms created by internal tides can form in water depths exceeding 50 m, saline outflow can arrest or dramatically slow mid‐ramp sedimentation mimicking maximum flooding intervals, and outer‐ramp planktic productivity can generate locally important fine‐grained carbonate sediment bodies. Changing oceanography during sea‐level rise can profoundly affect sediment composition, sedimentation rate and packaging.     

Carbonate drifts as marine archives of aeolian dust (Santaren Channel,Bahamas)

Sediment data from the Bahamian Santaren carbonate drift reveal the variability of trans‐Atlantic Saharan dust transport back to about 100 ka bp (Marine Isotope Stage 5·3) and demonstrate that carbonate drifts are a valuable pelagic archive of aeolian dust flux. Carbonate drift bodies are common around tropical carbonate platforms; they represent large‐scale accumulations of ocean‐current transported material, which originates from the adjacent shallow‐water carbonate factory as well as from pelagic production, i.e. periplatform ooze. Subordinately, there is a clay‐size to silt‐size non‐carbonate fraction, which typically amounts to less than 10% of the sediment volume and originates from aeolian and fluvial input. Sedimentation rates in the 5·42 m long core GeoHH‐M95‐524 recovered 25 km west of Great Bahama Bank in the Santaren Channel ranges from 1·5 to 24·5 cm ka^?1 with lowest values during the last glacial lowstand and highest values following platform re‐flooding around 8 ka bp . These sedimentation rates imply that carbonate drifts have not only the potential to resolve long‐term environmental changes on orbital timescales, but also millennial to centennial fluctuations during interglacials. The sediment core has been investigated with the aim of characterizing the lithogenic dust fraction. Laboratory analyses included X‐ray fluorescence core scanning, determination of carbonate content and grain‐size analyses (of bulk and terrigenous fraction), as well as visual inspections of the lithogenic residue; the age model is based on oxygen isotopes and radiocarbon ages. Data show that the input of aeolian dust in the periplatform ooze as indicated by Ti/Al and Fe/Al element ratios abruptly increases at 57 ka bp , stays elevated during glacial times, and reaches a Holocene minimum around 6·5 ka bp , contemporary to the African Humid Period. Subsequently, there is a gradual increase in dust flux which almost reaches glacial levels during the last centuries. Grain‐size data show that the majority of dust particles fall into the fine silt range (below 10 μm); however, there is a pronounced coarse dust fraction in the size range up to 63 μm and individual ‘giant’ dust particles are up to 515 μm in size. Total dust flux and the relative amounts of fine and coarse dust are decoupled. The time‐variable composition of the grain‐size spectrum is interpreted to reflect different dust transport mechanisms: fine dust particles are delivered by the trade winds and the geostrophic winds of the Saharan Air Layer, whereas coarse dust particles travel with convective storm systems. This mode of transport ensures continuous re‐suspension of large particles and results in a prolonged transport. In this context, grain‐size data from the terrigenous fraction of carbonate drifts provide a measure for past coarse dust transport, and consequently for the frequency of convective storm systems over the dust source areas and the tropical Atlantic.     

Variable water column structure of the South Atlantic on glacial–interglacial time scales

The structure of the glacial ocean was significantly different to that of the present day with intermediate to mid-depth waters being notably more δ¹³C enriched than deep waters. This contrast was especially pronounced in the South Atlantic suggesting the development of a sharp chemical divide, or ‘chemocline’, at around 2500 m water depth between upper and lower layers, with implications for deep-ocean carbon storage [Hodell et al., 2003. Pleistocene vertical carbon isotope and carbonate gradients in the South Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 4(1): doi: 1004 10.1029/2002GC000367.]. We evaluate existing benthic foraminiferal δ¹³C, Cd/Ca and derived carbon isotope air–sea exchange signature (δ¹³C_as) data sets for the Atlantic during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 6 and 8 in order to examine the regional extent of the chemocline in the South Atlantic. Benthic δ¹³C data north of the approximate latitude of the LGM Subantarctic Front (LGM-SAF, 43°S) linearly decrease with water depth, indicative of mixing between upper ‘well’ and lower ‘poorly’ ventilated water masses, with little evidence of the sharp chemical divide. Conversely, benthic δ¹³C data south of the LGM-SAF below 2500 m water depth are uniformly around ?0.8‰. The apparent δ¹³C gradient across the LGM-SAF suggests enhanced mid-depth ventilation north of the SAF and reduced ventilation to the south. From this pattern we conclude that the regional chemocline in the South Atlantic constituted a dominantly meridional, rather than a vertical gradient, and was developed during at least the past three glacial periods. Benthic Cd/Ca data indicate that the gradient was not nutrient related, although further data from the South Atlantic are needed for a better assessment of this suggestion. The combined benthic δ¹³C and Cd/Ca data indicate the source of well-ventilated upper waters in the South Atlantic changed from Northern Component Water (NCW) during early glacial phases to Upper Southern Component Water (USCW) during mid-to-late glacial phases when the Southern Ocean may have become isolated. USCW maintained a positive δ¹³C and δ¹³C_as signature simulating a North Atlantic origin that has been implicated in previous studies. The data demonstrate that secular imprints on δ¹³C must be taken into consideration when assessing the implications of the vertical δ¹³C gradient. This data also supports a variable water column architecture and modes of water mass formation as primary means to draw down atmospheric CO₂ and storage in the abyssal ocean by involving processes occurring on either side of the SAF in the glacial Southern Ocean.     

Sub‐arctic Holocene climatic and oceanographic variability in Stjernsund,northern Norway: evidence from benthic foraminifera and stable isotopes

A high‐resolution record, covering 9.3–0.2 ka BP, from the sub‐arctic Stjernsund (70°N) was studied for benthic foraminiferal faunas and stable isotopes, revealing three informally named main phases during the Holocene. The Early‐ to Mid‐Holocene (9.3–5.0 ka BP) was characterized by the strong influence of the North Atlantic Current (NAC), which prevented the reflection of the Holocene Climatic Optimum (HCO) in the bottom‐water temperature. During the Mid‐Holocene Transition (5.0–2.5 ka BP), a turnover of benthic foraminiferal faunas occurred, Atlantic Water species decreased while Arctic‐Polar species increased, and the oxygen isotope record showed larger fluctuations. Those variations correspond to a period of global climate change, to spatially more heterogeneous benthic foraminiferal faunas in the Nordic Seas region, and to regionally diverging terrestrial temperatures. The Cool Late Holocene (2.5–0.2 ka BP) was characterized by increased abundances of Arctic‐Polar species and a steady cooling trend reflected in the oxygen isotopes. In this period, our record differs considerably from those on the SW Barents Sea shelf and locations farther south. Therefore, we argue that regional atmospheric cooling triggered the late Holocene cooling trend. Several cold episodes centred at ～8.3, ～7.8, ～6.5, ～4.9, ～3.9 and ～3.3 ka BP were identified from the benthic foraminiferal faunas and the δ¹⁸O record, which correlated with marine and atmospherically driven proxy records. This suggests that short‐term cold events may result from reduced heat advection via the NAC or from colder air temperatures.     

Long‐term pockmark maintenance by fluid seepage and subsurface sediment mobilization – sedimentological investigations in Lake Neuchâtel

Pockmarks and mud volcanoes from marine and lacustrine environments are thought to be the surface expression of focused fluid flow (gas and/or water). However, the control fluid flow exerts on the sediment dynamics and rates of activity of such features, especially the maintenance and growth of pockmarks, is not well understood. This study suggests that variable fluid flow is the driving process that has maintained two lacustrine pockmarks over thousands of years. In Lake Neuchâtel (western Switzerland), the currently active Chez‐le‐Bart Pockmark (diameter ca 160 m, depth ca 10 m) and the Treytel Pockmark (diameter ca 100 m, depth ca 4 m) indicate ‘quiescent’ fluid flow as well as past, ‘eruptive’, events of subsurface sediment mobilization. This study aims to test the hypothesis that phases of increased fluid flow through the pockmarks have led to the remobilization and spilling of sediment over the pockmark rims, and that different modes of activity phases are responsible for their maintenance and growth. So termed ‘subsurface sediment mobilization deposits’ are visible in seismic profiles and correlate to specific, sedimentary intervals in Kullenberg‐type long piston cores. In a detailed analysis, different modes of transport are recognized, which are attributed to high‐density flows that correspond to multiple pulses of activity. The pockmark morphology, seismic stratigraphy and core correlation with pre‐existing data reveals that the two pockmarks have been maintained throughout the Holocene and underwent several switches between ‘quiescent’ and ‘eruptive’ mode activity.     

A high-resolution diatom record of late-Quaternary sea-surface temperatures and oceanographic conditions from the eastern Norwegian Sea

Core MD95‐2011 was taken from the eastern Vøring Plateau, near the Norwegian coast. The section between 250 and 750 cm covers the time period from 13 000 to 2700 cal. yr BP (the Lateglacial and much of the Holocene). Samples at 5 cm intervals were analysed for fossil diatoms. A data‐set of 139 modern sea‐surface diatom samples was related to contemporary sea‐surface temperatures (SSTs) using two different numerical methods. The resulting transfer functions were used to reconstruct past sea‐surface temperatures from the fossil diatom assemblages. After the cold Younger Dryas with summer SSTs about 6°C, temperatures warmed rapidly to about 13°C. One of the fluctuations in the earliest Holocene can be related to the Pre‐Boreal Oscillation, but SSTs were generally unstable until about 9700 cal. yr BP. Evidence from diatom concentration and magnetic susceptibility suggests a change and stabilization of water currents associated with the final melting of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet at c. 8100 cal. yr BP. A period of maximum warmth between 9700 and 6700 cal. yr BP had SSTs 3–5°C warmer than at present. Temperatures cooled gradually until c. 3000 cal. yr BP, and then rose slightly around 2750 cal. yr BP. The varimax factors derived from the Imbrie & Kipp method for sea‐surface‐temperature reconstructions can be interpreted as water‐masses. They show a dominance of Arctic Waters and Sea Ice during the Younger Dryas. The North Atlantic current increased rapidly in strength during the early Holocene, resulting in warmer conditions than previously. Since about 7250 cal. yr BP, Norwegian Atlantic Water gradually replaced the North Atlantic Water, and this, in combination with decreasing summer insolation, led to a gradual cooling of the sea surface. Terrestrial systems in Norway and Iceland responded to this cooling and the increased supply of moisture by renewed glaciation. Periods of glacial advance can be correlated with cool oscillations in the SST reconstructions. By comparison with records of SSTs from other sites in the Norwegian Sea, spatial and temporal changes in patterns of ocean water‐masses are reconstructed, to reveal a complex system of feedbacks and influences on the climate of the North Atlantic and Norway.     

南海西部表层沉积物碳酸盐分布特征及其溶解作用

碳酸盐是海洋沉积物的重要组成部分,在南海表层沉积物中含量最高可超过 70%,因此深入研究现代碳酸盐的分布特征具有十分重要的意义.对南海西部底质的大量取样分析表明,该区 CaCO3含量在上陆坡最高,其中在北部和中南部含量较高,中部和东南部含量较低,其分布特征主要受陆源物质供给量的控制,与陆架的宽度和陆坡的坡度密切相关.CaCO3最富集区出现在水深 400～600 m的上陆坡区,其中水深 500～600 m内的平均含量最高,达 44.37%,水深超过 1 300 m时含量开始明显下降,表明溶解作用增强.对 CaCO3含量与水深关系进行多项式拟合,结果表明,本区没有出现碳酸盐溶解作用突然增强的溶跃面;但在水深 3 500 m附近,拟合曲线出现转折点, CaCO3含量由随水深迅速下降变为相对稳定,因此该水深应为碳酸盐临界补偿深度.