Ocean circulation and iceberg discharge in the glacial North Atlantic: Inferences from unmixing of sediment size distributions

Abstract

Research Article| June 01, 2002 Ocean circulation and iceberg discharge in the glacial North Atlantic: Inferences from unmixing of sediment size distributions Maarten A. Prins; Maarten A. Prins 1Faculty of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Laurens M. Bouwer; Laurens M. Bouwer 1Faculty of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Christiaan J. Beets; Christiaan J. Beets 1Faculty of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Simon R. Troelstra; Simon R. Troelstra 1Faculty of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gert Jan Weltje; Gert Jan Weltje 2Department of Applied Earth Sciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5028, 2600 GA Delft, Netherlands Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Rink W. Kruk; Rink W. Kruk 3Faculty of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.021, 3508 TA Utrecht, Netherlands Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Antoon Kuijpers; Antoon Kuijpers 4Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Thoravej 8, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Pieter Z. Vroon Pieter Z. Vroon 5Faculty of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Maarten A. Prins 1Faculty of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands Laurens M. Bouwer 1Faculty of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands Christiaan J. Beets 1Faculty of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands Simon R. Troelstra 1Faculty of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands Gert Jan Weltje 2Department of Applied Earth Sciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5028, 2600 GA Delft, Netherlands Rink W. Kruk 3Faculty of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.021, 3508 TA Utrecht, Netherlands Antoon Kuijpers 4Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Thoravej 8, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark Pieter Z. Vroon 5Faculty of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 08 Aug 2001 Revision Received: 14 Feb 2002 Accepted: 26 Feb 2002 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2002) 30 (6): 555–558. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0555:OCAIDI>2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 08 Aug 2001 Revision Received: 14 Feb 2002 Accepted: 26 Feb 2002 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Maarten A. Prins, Laurens M. Bouwer, Christiaan J. Beets, Simon R. Troelstra, Gert Jan Weltje, Rink W. Kruk, Antoon Kuijpers, Pieter Z. Vroon; Ocean circulation and iceberg discharge in the glacial North Atlantic: Inferences from unmixing of sediment size distributions. Geology 2002;; 30 (6): 555–558. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0555:OCAIDI>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Variability in iceberg discharge and deep-ocean circulation in the North Atlantic during the last glacial period is inferred from the grain-size distribution and trace elemental composition of terrigenous sediments in a deep-sea core taken on Reykjanes Ridge, south of Iceland. End-member modeling of the grain-size distributions is used to unmix the signals of varying bottom-current speed and iceberg discharge. The size distribution within the silt fraction appears to be influenced by both factors. Based on Th-Sc-La relationship, we established that during the ice-rafted detritus events, continental material of likely Greenlandic origin increased to 87%, and that bottom-current–derived material contains to 40% mid-oceanic ridge fines, probably of Icelandic origin. Our results have important implications for the use of silt grain size as an indicator for paleocurrent speed in the glacial North Atlantic. We show that reconstructions of variations in bottom-current speed based on the raw grain-size data are opposite to inferences from the unmixed record. The latter indicates that deep-water convection decreased during periods of enhanced iceberg discharge, which is in general agreement with paleoceanographic reconstructions of the North Atlantic. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.