Collaborative Research: Testing the Glacial-Interglacial Conveyor Belt Hypothesis

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

Summary: This proposal requests support to test new observations indicating that the current model for deep water circulation patterns and structure derived from studies of the last glacial maximum are not typical of most Pleistocene glacial intervals. Preliminary results suggest that, in contrast to the established conveyor belt model, Labrador Sea Water (LSW) and Norwegian Sea Overflow Water (NSOW) continued to form albeit with different d13C signatures during many Pleistocene glacials. The concept will be tested by developing multiproxy data sets forming depth transects of the North Atlantic at three time intervals to map conditions at different depths and between sediment drift sites (path of NSOW) and non-sediment drift sites (path of LSW).