Ocean export production and foraminiferal stable isotopes in the Antarctic Southern Ocean across the mid-Pleistocene transition
Abstract
Changes in buoyancy forcing in the Antarctic Zone (AZ) of the Southern Ocean are believed to play an instrumental role in modulating atmospheric CO2 concentrations during glacial cycles by regulating the transfer of carbon between the ocean interior and the atmosphere. Indeed, a million-year-spanning high-resolution excess Barium record from the AZ of the South Atlantic (ODP 1094), which traces changes in export production, shows decreased export production during cold periods suggesting decreased overturning. Here, we extend this AZ export production record back to 1.6 Myr. In addition, we present new carbon and oxygen isotope records of benthic and planktic foraminifera from the same site, complemented by Mg/Ca measurements in some intervals. The interpretation of these new data in the context of other South Atlantic records contributes to a better understanding of Southern Ocean hydrography and its role in modulating glacial/interglacial cycles over the past 1.6 Myr.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014AGUFMPP23A1382H
- Keywords:
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- 4901 Abrupt/rapid climate change;
- 4912 Biogeochemical cycles;
- processes;
- and modeling;
- 4930 Greenhouse gases;
- 4962 Thermohaline