Holocene foraminiferal radiocarbon record of paleocirculation in the Santa Barbara Basin

Differences in radiocarbon apparent ages between coexisting planktonic and benthic (B-P) foraminifers in the Santa Barbara Basin contain information about changes in the age (and thus the source) of water entering the basin. The Holocene sequence indicates a greater variability in circulation than p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geology (Boulder) 2003-04, Vol.31 (4), p.379-382
Main Authors: Roark, E. Brendan, Ingram, B. Lynn, Southon, John, Kennett, James P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
absolute age
benthic taxa
C-14
California
Carbon
Cenozoic
climate change
correlation
dates
East Pacific
Foraminifera
Geochronology
Geology
GISP2
Holocene
Invertebrata
isotopes
Leg 146
marine environment
microfossils
North Pacific
North Pacific Intermediate Water
Northeast Pacific
Ocean Drilling Program
ODP Site 893
Pacific Ocean
paleo-oceanography
paleoatmosphere
paleocirculation
paleoclimatology
paleoecology
paleotemperature
planktonic taxa
Pleistocene
Protista
Quaternary
Quaternary geology
radioactive isotopes
Santa Barbara Basin
temperature
United States
upper Pleistocene
upper Weichselian
ventilation
Weichselian
Younger Dryas
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Description
Summary:Differences in radiocarbon apparent ages between coexisting planktonic and benthic (B-P) foraminifers in the Santa Barbara Basin contain information about changes in the age (and thus the source) of water entering the basin. The Holocene sequence indicates a greater variability in circulation than previously detected. During the early Holocene, ca. 9 ka, B-P 14C apparent age differences fluctuated between 220 and 560 14C yr, similar to rapid variations seen during the Younger Dryas and the last glacial episode. During the relatively stable middle Holocene (8.5-2 ka), B-P 14C apparent age differences averaged 440 14C yr. After 2 ka, the average B-P 14C apparent age difference increased to 620 14C yr, which has persisted until the present. The shift in B-P 14C apparent age differences likely represents a change in the strength or source of North Pacific Intermediate Water production and is concurrent with changes in regional climate patterns as well as with changes in temperature and accumulation rates measured in the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 ice core, suggesting large-scale changes in atmospheric circulation patterns.
ISSN:0091-7613
1943-2682
DOI:10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0379:HFRROP>2.0.CO;2