Sedimentology of the northwestern Weddell Sea continental shelf and slope

• Main Author: Brehme, Isa
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 1992
• Subjects: ANT-II/3; ANT-VI/3; ANT-X/5; AWI_Paleo; Gravity corer (Kiel type); North Atlantic Ocean; Paleoenvironmental Reconstructions from Marine Sediments @ AWI; PLA; Plankton net; Polarstern; PS04; PS04/257; PS04/259; PS1170-3; PS1172-1; PS12; PS12/248; PS12/250; PS12/252; PS1575-1; PS1576-2; PS1577-1; PS22 06AQANTX_5; PS2270-3; SL; South Atlantic Ocean; South Orkney; Weddell Sea; Weddell; Berichte zur Polarforschung; North Atlantic; Planktonic foraminifera; Polar Research; Polarforschung; Reports on polar research; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.782551; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.782551

Sediment cores on two profiles oriented normaly to the continental shelf and slope, have been investigated to reconstruct the Quaternary sedimentary history of the southeast continental border of South Orkney (NW Weddell Sea). The sediments were described macroscopically and their fabric investigated by use of X-radiographs. Laboratory work comprised detailed grain-size analysis, determination of the watercontent, carbonate, organic carbon and sand fraction.composition. Stable oxygen and carbon isotopes have been measured On planktonic foraminifera. Palaeomagnetism, analysis of 230Th-content and detailed comparison of the lithlogic Parameters with the oxygen isotope stages (Martinson curve) were used for stratigraphic classification of the sediments. The sediment cores from the continental slope comprise a maximum age of 300,000 years B. P. Bottom currents, ice rafting and biogenic input are the main sources of sediment. Based on lithologic parameters a distinction between glacial and interglacial facies is possible. Silty clays without microfossils and few bioturbation characterise the sediments of the glacial facies. Only small amounts of icerafted debris can be recognized. This type of sediment was accumulated during times of lower sea-level and drastically reduced rate of bottom water production. Based on grain-size distribution, bottom current velocities of 0.01 cmls were calculated. Thick sea-ice coverage reduced biogenic production in the surface water, and as consequence benthic communities were depleted. Because of the reduced benthic life, sediments are only slithly bioturbated. At the beginning of the interglacial Stage, the sea-level rised rapidly, and calving rate of icebergs, combined with input of ice-rafted material, increased considerably. Sediments of this transition facies are silty cliiys with a high proportion of coarse ice-rafted debris, but without microfossils. With the onset of bottom water production in connection with shelf ice water, sediments of interglacial facies were formed. They ...