Abstract
Paleoproductivity variations in the eastern Arabian Sea, during the late Quaternary period (∼42 ka BP to present), have been studied using accumulation rates of sedimentary biogenic components: organic carbon (Corg), nitrogen (N), CaCO3, Sr and Ba. Such a multi-proxy approach reveals decreased surface productivity during the last glacial-interglacial transition. The observed change of surface water productivity during the last glacial-interglacial period is in antiphase to those observed in other low- and mid-latitude upwelling areas, however, consistent with some of the upwelling regions like NW Africa and NW Mexico. Sedimentary Corg and N are found to be decoupled from surface productivity trend, with significant enrichments in Corg and N during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). This is interpreted in terms of increase in sedimentation rates (by a factor of 3-4) resulting in the better preservation of Corg during the LGM.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 43-60 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |
Volume | 197 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 15 2003 |
Keywords
- Arabian Sea
- Last Glacial Maximum (LGM)
- Organic carbon
- Sedimentation rate
- Southwest monsoon
- Surface productivity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oceanography
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Earth-Surface Processes
- Palaeontology