Pore fluid constraints on the temperature and oxygen isotopic composition of the glacial ocean

Journal Article · Fri Jun 28 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.272.5270.1930· OSTI ID:426159

Schrag, D P ^[1]; Hampt, G ^[2]; Murray, D W ^[3]

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1. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
2. Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States)
3. Brown Univ., Providence, RI (United States)

Pore fluids from the upper 60 meters of sediment 3000 meters below the surface of the tropical Atlantic indicate that the oxygen isotopic composition ({delta}{sup 18}O) of seawater at this site during the last glacial maximum was 0.8 {plus_minus} 0.1 per mil higher than it is today. Combined with the {delta}{sup 18}O change in benthic foraminifera from this region, the elevated ratio indicates that the temperature of deep water in the tropical Atlantic Ocean was 4{degree}C colder during the last glacial maximum. Extrapolation from this site to a global average suggests that the ice volume contribution to the change in {delta}{sup 18}O of foraminifera is 1.0 per mil, which partially reconciles the foraminiferal oxygen isotope record of tropical sea surface temperatures with estimates from Barbados corals and terrestrial climate proxies. 25 refs., 3 figs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 426159
• Journal Information: Science, Journal Name: Science Journal Issue: 5270 Vol. 272; ISSN SCIEAS; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CLIMATIC CHANGE
FORAMINIFERA
INTERSTITIAL WATER
ISOTOPE RATIO
OXYGEN
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
PLEISTOCENE EPOCH
TROPICAL REGIONS