Laurentide ice sheet meltwater influences and millennial-scale climate oscillations on the northwestern slope of the Gulf of Mexico during Marine Isotope Stage 6 and Termination II

Date
2009
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract

Sub-Milankovitch climate oscillations are well documented phenomena in the Gulf of Mexico during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and Termination I, however very little is known about equivalent events during older time intervals. Basin 4 is located on the northwest slope of the Gulf of Mexico and has provided a detailed record of late MIS 6 and Termination II. The results of this study show that the delta18O record of planktonic foraminifer G. ruber contains millennial-scale climate oscillations during MIS 6, a series of meltwater spikes, and a climate reversal during Termination II. Paired delta18O -- Mg/Ca data across these events reveal that the unusually large amplitudes in the delta 18O record cannot be explained by sea surface temperature (SST) or ice volume, but rather are a response to isotopically light glacial meltwater from the paleo-Mississippi river. This conclusion supports the studies of similar oscillations during Termination I and MIS 3.

Description
Degree
Master of Science
Type
Thesis
Keywords
Geochemistry
Citation

O'Hayer, Walter Werley. "Laurentide ice sheet meltwater influences and millennial-scale climate oscillations on the northwestern slope of the Gulf of Mexico during Marine Isotope Stage 6 and Termination II." (2009) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. https://hdl.handle.net/1911/61948.

Has part(s)
Forms part of
Published Version
Rights
Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.
Link to license
Citable link to this page