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Seasonal maxima at 45/sup 0/N in the last 150,000 years: implications for recognizing deglacial and precessional events

Conference · · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)
OSTI ID:6463330
Earlier work by other investigators has shown that planktonic foraminifera secrete their tests in either warm or cold parts of the year, depending on the species. The O/sup 18///sup 16/ ratios in their tests reflect the temperature of the water and provide a means to measure paleo-seasonality values. The authors present the first extended (150,000 year) O/sup 18///sup 16/ ratio record obtained using parallel isotope values from both warm and cold water planktonic foraminifera in the same subsamples down core. The isotope values reflect seasonality values independent of faunal tolerances. The core location at 45/sup 0/N is in a critical location to understand glacial-deglacial events. The seasonality record obtained with isotopes indicates much stronger seasonal fluctuations than previously reported using faunal assemblages. Seasonality minimums can be used to pinpoint glacial maximums while seasonality maximums can be used to precisely locate interglacial precessional signals. Using a combination of cold water values and seasonality deviation, it is possible to detect all the precessional signals, even those in intermediate glacial cycles.
Research Organization:
Dalhousie Univ., Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada)
OSTI ID:
6463330
Report Number(s):
CONF-8510489-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 17
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English