Glaciomarine sedimentation and its paleoclimatic implications on the Antarctic Peninsula shelf over the last 15 000 years

Analyses of sedimentological, geochemical and micropaleontological parameters from radiocarbon-dated sediment cores retrieved from the Antarctic Peninsula's western continental shelf reveal a detailed paleoclimatic and/or paleoceanographic history over the last 15000 radiocarbon years. Deglaciation of the outer shelf off Anvers Island commenced prior to at least 15 000 yr BP, marked by the deposition of distal glaciomarine diamicton (facies 2) beneath a floating ice shelf, and lasted for 3800 years with increasing diatom abundance and total organic carbon (TOC) over time. A return to colder conditions occurred between 12 800 and 11600 yr BP with a drop in TOC content and diatom abundance, which is coincident with the Younger Dryas event in the North Atlantic region. At this time, an abrupt increase in percentage sea-ice taxa as well as in the ratio of (Fragilariopsis curta+Fragilariopsis cylindrus)/Thalassiosira antarctica suggests renewed ice-shelf advance. In contrast, the inner shelf was deglaciated somewhat later about 11000 yr BP, that is, 3000 years after the outer shelf. Prior to 11000 yr BP, deposition of proximal glaciomarine diamicton (facies 1) close to the grounding line under a floating ice shelf and/or persistent sea ice may have occurred on the inner shelf. After this date, deposition of distal glaciomarine diamicton (facies 2) followed. A climatic optimum is recognized between 6000 and 2500 yr BP, coinciding with a 'mid-Holocene climatic optimum' from several other Antarctic sites, e.g. the Palmer Deep. During this time, as the glacial system receded from the shelf, greatly enhanced primary productivity occurred in open marine conditions, resulting in the deposition of diatomaceous mud (facies 3) and causing post-depositional dissolution of calcareous benthic and planktonic foraminifers in sediment. Around 2500 yr BP (the onset of the Neoglacial), diatomaceous sandy mud (facies 4), characterized by a decrease in TOC and diatom abundance, reflects the formation of more extensive and seasonally persistent sea ice, as evidenced by an increase in percentage of sea-ice taxa and in the ratio of (F. curta+F. cylindrus)/T. antarctica. Our results provide evidence of climatic change on the Antarctic Peninsula's western shelf that helps to refine the existence and timing of late Pleistocene and Holocene millennial-scale climatic events in the Southern Hemisphere. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.