Investigating Mid-Pleistocene Climate Extremes

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

Summary: This project will obtain isotopic and trace metal analyses on planktic and benthic foraminifers to test initial results from subpolar North Atlantic cores suggesting that global ice volume during MIS 11 was similar to modern ice volume and that sea level during MIS 11 was not substantially higher than today. The project will measure oxygen isotope ratios on planktic and benthic foraminifers at three sites in the tropical Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to compare these values against new and existing data from subpolar North Atlantic cores. In addition Mg/Ca ratios of benthic and planktic foraminifers in selected intervals will be measured as independent estimate of temperature effects. The new analyses will provide a means for separating temperature and salinity effects from ice volume effects on the isotope values. Cd/Ca and carbon isotope measurements of benthic foraminifers will be used to detect deep circulation changes associated with the glacial - interglacial transitions.