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Holocene climate variability at multidecadal time scales detected by sedimentological indicators in a shelf core NW off Iceland

Andresen, Camilla Snowman LU ; Bond, G ; Kuijpers, A ; Knutz, PC and Björck, Svante LU (2005) In Marine Geology 214(4). p.323-338
Abstract
A Holocene sediment record is presented from the Djupall trough, situated on the inner shelf northwest of Iceland. The paleoclimatic development has been interpreted on the basis of mass accumulation rate, carbonate content, mean grain size, sediment petrology and 29 radiocarbon dates. The results demonstrate in the early Holocene (10,000-8000 cal year BP) high sediment accumulation rates attributable to the effect of enhanced sediment mobilisation under influence of a relatively low sea level and remobilisation of glacial sediments on the sparsely vegetated Vestfirdir peninsula. The data suggest that a general southward displacement of the Polar Front commenced around 5000-4000 cal year BP. A new proxy for Holocene climatic variability is... (More)
A Holocene sediment record is presented from the Djupall trough, situated on the inner shelf northwest of Iceland. The paleoclimatic development has been interpreted on the basis of mass accumulation rate, carbonate content, mean grain size, sediment petrology and 29 radiocarbon dates. The results demonstrate in the early Holocene (10,000-8000 cal year BP) high sediment accumulation rates attributable to the effect of enhanced sediment mobilisation under influence of a relatively low sea level and remobilisation of glacial sediments on the sparsely vegetated Vestfirdir peninsula. The data suggest that a general southward displacement of the Polar Front commenced around 5000-4000 cal year BP. A new proxy for Holocene climatic variability is presented by the basalt/plagioclase ratio in the 63-100 mum fraction. High basalt/plagioclase values are primarily related to periods of increased storminess and bottom current energy, which enhanced the transport of basaltic sediment from the coastal zone towards the outer shelf. Advection of polar waters containing basalt-rich IRD from the eastern Greenland Blosseville Kyst basalt province may also have contributed to increased basalt/plagioclase ratios. The correlation between basalt/plagioclase ratios and proxies of solar activity (C-14 production and Be-10 flux) was explored and suggests that some of the centennial-scale peaks in colder climate could be related to increased nuclide production in the upper atmosphere. In addition, it was found that the Medieval Warm Period (c. 1100-700 cal year BP) was characterised by strong cyclone activity over the Iceland region. Intense atmospheric circulation during this period has been confirmed also by other studies in the northern North Atlantic region. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Iceland, Holocene, storm activity, basalt/plagioclase ratios, carbonate production
in
Marine Geology
volume
214
issue
4
pages
323 - 338
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000227030000003
  • scopus:12544253265
ISSN
0025-3227
DOI
10.1016/j.margeo.2004.11.010
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
79e65737-8a59-419b-bbf2-989782c85727 (old id 253503)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:44:57
date last changed
2022-03-22 20:52:22
@article{79e65737-8a59-419b-bbf2-989782c85727,
  abstract     = {{A Holocene sediment record is presented from the Djupall trough, situated on the inner shelf northwest of Iceland. The paleoclimatic development has been interpreted on the basis of mass accumulation rate, carbonate content, mean grain size, sediment petrology and 29 radiocarbon dates. The results demonstrate in the early Holocene (10,000-8000 cal year BP) high sediment accumulation rates attributable to the effect of enhanced sediment mobilisation under influence of a relatively low sea level and remobilisation of glacial sediments on the sparsely vegetated Vestfirdir peninsula. The data suggest that a general southward displacement of the Polar Front commenced around 5000-4000 cal year BP. A new proxy for Holocene climatic variability is presented by the basalt/plagioclase ratio in the 63-100 mum fraction. High basalt/plagioclase values are primarily related to periods of increased storminess and bottom current energy, which enhanced the transport of basaltic sediment from the coastal zone towards the outer shelf. Advection of polar waters containing basalt-rich IRD from the eastern Greenland Blosseville Kyst basalt province may also have contributed to increased basalt/plagioclase ratios. The correlation between basalt/plagioclase ratios and proxies of solar activity (C-14 production and Be-10 flux) was explored and suggests that some of the centennial-scale peaks in colder climate could be related to increased nuclide production in the upper atmosphere. In addition, it was found that the Medieval Warm Period (c. 1100-700 cal year BP) was characterised by strong cyclone activity over the Iceland region. Intense atmospheric circulation during this period has been confirmed also by other studies in the northern North Atlantic region.}},
  author       = {{Andresen, Camilla Snowman and Bond, G and Kuijpers, A and Knutz, PC and Björck, Svante}},
  issn         = {{0025-3227}},
  keywords     = {{Iceland; Holocene; storm activity; basalt/plagioclase ratios; carbonate production}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{323--338}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Marine Geology}},
  title        = {{Holocene climate variability at multidecadal time scales detected by sedimentological indicators in a shelf core NW off Iceland}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2004.11.010}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.margeo.2004.11.010}},
  volume       = {{214}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}