Saharan dust transported Quartz grains in sediment cores GIK13289-1/-2 and GIK13291-1, off Senegal (NW Africa) ...

• Main Authors: Hommers, Harald, Sarnthein, Michael
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2020
• Subjects: NW Africa; quartz grains; Saharan dust; Senegal; Institute for Geosciences, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel GIK/IfG; Planktonic foraminifera
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.922474; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.922474

Two deep-sea cores, GIK13891 and GIK13291, retrieved off Mauretania (NW Africa) from the top of a ca. 250 m high seamount and from the seamount's foot were studied. Planktonic foraminifera oxygen isotope records in conjunction with 14C ages in the upper core sections were used to establish a stratigraphy. Sedimentological studies of both cores focused on the occurrence and abundance of giant grains of up to 1500 µm. Three possible transport ways for those giant grains are being discussed:a) transport by turbidity currentsb) erosion from the seamount topc) eolian delivery.The sedimentological results, including SEM pictures, point mainly to erosion and additional eolian delivery of the giant grains. ...