Climatic “pause” during Termination II identified in shallow and intermediate waters off the Iberian margin

• Published in: Quaternary science reviews Vol. 23; no. 14; pp. 1523 - 1528
• Main Authors: Gouzy, A, Malaizé, B, Pujol, C, Charlier, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: Environmental Sciences; Marine; AN, North Atlantic; ANE, Europe, Iberian Peninsula; Intermediate waters; Geochronology; Climatology; Iberian Margin; Surface waters; paleoceanography; Quaternary; Isotopic study; Atlantic Ocean; Foraminifera; Eemian; Ice; benthic foraminifera; paleoclimate; Circulation patterns; Perturbation techniques; plankton; oceanic circulation; Dating
• ISSN: 0277-3791; 1873-457X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2004.03.002

The sequence of Termination II, from the end of marine isotopic stage 6 (MIS 6) to MIS 5e, is observed through an isotopic study (δ
18O) of planktic and benthic foraminifera in core MD99-2331 (42°09′N; 09°41′W), collected in the North Atlantic, on the Iberian margin. First, to build an approximate time scale, a record of the planktic δ
18O signal is achieved from the top of the core (Holocene) to MIS 6. The remarkable similarity of this planktic record to the Greenland Ice Core Project ice core δ
18O record allows a rough dating of our core. A focus on Termination II reveals one “standstill” in the benthic record. This “pause” can be linked either to a perturbation of North Atlantic oceanic circulation pattern, as a slowing down of the North Atlantic Deep Water formation, or to an interruption in polar ice sheet melting, which could be a more global phenomenon.