The sedimentation rates in the Okinawa Trough during the Late Quaternary

On the basis of accelerator mass spectrometer radiocarbon (AMS14C) dating, sedimentation rates of 11 cores collected from thenorthern to southern Okinawa Trough are discussed. The sedimentation rates in the Okinawa Trough roughly range from 11 to 39cm/ka, and the average is 23.0 cm/ka. China's continental matter is the main sediment source of the middle Okinawa Trough and hasimportant contribution to the northern and southern Okinawa Trough. The sedimentation rates during the marine oxygen isotope (MIS)2 are uniformly higher than those during MIS 1 in the northern and middle Okinawa Trough while they are on the contrary in thesouthern Okinawa Trough. Sedimentation rates in the Okinawa Trough can be one of the proxies of sediment source and an indicatorof cooling events.