Open AccessNew aspects of organic carbon deposition and its paleoceanographic implications along the Northern Barents Sea Margin during the last 30,000 years
Author(s) -
Knies Jochen,
Stein Ruediger
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
paleoceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1944-9186
pISSN - 0883-8305
DOI - 10.1029/98pa01501
Subject(s) - terrigenous sediment , geology , oceanography , paleoceanography , arctic , total organic carbon , organic matter , deposition (geology) , sediment , sea ice , paleontology , environmental chemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry
We studied variations in terrigenous (TOM) and marine organic matter (MOM) input in a sediment core on the northern Barents Sea margin over the last 30 ka. Using a multiproxy approach, we reconstructed processes controlling organic carbon deposition and investigated their paleoceanographic significance in the North Atlantic‐Arctic Gateways. Variations in paleo‐surface‐water productivity are not documented in amount and composition of organic carbon. The highest level of MOM was deposited during 25–23 ka as a result of scavenging on fine‐grained, reworked, and TOM‐rich material released by the retreating Svalbard/Barents Sea ice sheet during the late Weichselian. A second peak of MOM is preserved because of sorptive protection by detrital and terrigenous organic matter, higher surface‐water productivity due to permanent intrusion of Atlantic water, and high suspension load release by melting sea ice during 15.9–11.2 ka.