Early Pliocene Warming in DVDP-11 Drillcore, Antarctica
Abstract
A geochemical analysis of drilled core, DVDP-11, was conducted to determine surface weathering conditions, as well as calcium carbonate (CaCO3) productivity in order to investigate the extent of global warming during a previous time in Earths history. DVDP-11 was drilled in Taylor Valley, Antarctica at a high polar latitude of about 77° and the sediments analyzed here date to the early Pliocene. 16 samples from DVDP-11 were obtained from a depth range of 188.36-244.60 meters below sea floor (mbsf). The samples were ground and prepped for ICP-AES analysis. Major element concentrations were measured to determine the chemical index of alteration (CIA) using the formula: CIA=[Al2O3/(Al2O33+CaO+Na2O+K2O)] x 100, with CaO* designating CaO in the silicate fraction. Following ICP evaluation samples were then analyzed for CaCO3 content. Out of the total 16 samples, 8 samples ranging in depths between 223.7-238.6 mbsf, reacted with hydrochloric acid in the presence of foraminiferal carbonate and were tested for total weight percent CaCO3 using acid digestion. An age model was then constructed for these samples using the available magnetostratigraphy for DVDP-11. CIA results ranged from 45-54 and are consistent with glacial clays showing little weathering. However, two peaks were present of 53 and 54 at sample depths of 239.6 and 223.7 mbsf. Percent weight CaCO3 was measured to be high in some samples, in particular 9% at 239.6 mbsf and 6% at 227.3 mbsf. The portion of DVDP-11 analyzed for this report is within Chron C2n and C3n giving it an age range of 3.5-4.6 million years ago (Ma). While the average CIA values are typical of high latitudes, the acid digestion results indicate substantial warming, allowing the precipitation of CaCO3. This is an unexpected result to find at a high latitude where waters would be consistently too cold for CaCO3 to accumulate. The age range for the CaCO3 accumulation is between 4.5-4.6 Ma and aligns with peaks in CIA values representing a rise in physical and chemical weathering. This time interval is placed within the early Pliocene, which is a known warm epoch in Earth's history. The results found in this study provide a clearer picture of the polar conditions at a high latitude during the Pliocene and therefore give a better understanding of the extent of global warming during this period of geologic time.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFM.C41B0655V
- Keywords:
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- 0726 Ice sheets;
- CRYOSPHEREDE: 0774 Dynamics;
- CRYOSPHEREDE: 0798 Modeling;
- CRYOSPHEREDE: 1621 Cryospheric change;
- GLOBAL CHANGE