Changes in productivity and ice-rafting input in the Amundsen Sea during the Late Pleistocene: Implications on the evolution of surface-ocean environment and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

ZHANG Jingyuan; XIAO Wenshen; WANG Rujian; FAN Jiaen; WANG Hanzhang; YANG Ruyi

doi:10.16562/j.cnki.0256-1492.2023020802

2023 Vol. 43, No. 2

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Article navigation > Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology > 2023 > 43(2): 136-144

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ZHANG Jingyuan, XIAO Wenshen, WANG Rujian, FAN Jiaen, WANG Hanzhang, YANG Ruyi. Changes in productivity and ice-rafting input in the Amundsen Sea during the Late Pleistocene: Implications on the evolution of surface-ocean environment and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet[J]. Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 2023, 43(2): 136-144. doi: 10.16562/j.cnki.0256-1492.2023020802

Citation:

ZHANG Jingyuan, XIAO Wenshen, WANG Rujian, FAN Jiaen, WANG Hanzhang, YANG Ruyi. Changes in productivity and ice-rafting input in the Amundsen Sea during the Late Pleistocene: Implications on the evolution of surface-ocean environment and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet[J]. Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 2023, 43(2): 136-144. doi: 10.16562/j.cnki.0256-1492.2023020802

Changes in productivity and ice-rafting input in the Amundsen Sea during the Late Pleistocene: Implications on the evolution of surface-ocean environment and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China

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Corresponding author: XIAO Wenshen, wxiao@tongji.edu.cn

Received Date: 08 February 2023

Revised Date: 22 February 2023

Accepted Date: 22 February 2023

Publish Date: 28 April 2023

Abstract

Abstract

The Amundsen Sea is the core area of the melting West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) in the recent global warming process. Productivity proxies and ice rafted debris (IRD) contents in core ANT34-A5-7 collected from the Amundsen Sea during the 34th Chinese Antarctic Research Expedition were investigated, to reveal the changes of the surface-ocean environment and the evolution history of the WAIS since the MIS (Marine Isotope Stage) 6. Results show increased (decreased) productivity during interglacial (glacial) periods. In particular, the higher productivity level than the Holocene productivity ones during the MIS 5.5 was accompanied by significant WAIS melting. These findings could be interpreted as warmer sea surface, less sea ice, and stronger upwelling of the circum-polar deep water in the Amundsen Sea during the MIS 5.5. This study provided valuable information for predicting future climate changes.
- sea surface productivity /
- Marine Isotope Stage 5.5 /
- Amundsen Sea /
- West Antarctic Ice Sheet

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References

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