International audienceThe contourite depositional system (CDS) along the southwestern Iberian Margin (SIM), within the Gulf of Cadiz and offshore areas of western Portugal bear the unmistakable signal of Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) exiting the Strait of Gibraltar. This locality records key information concerning the effects of tectonic activity on margin sedimentation, the effects of MOW dynamics on Atlantic circulation, and how these factors may have influenced global climate. Over the last four decades, numerous studies have been conducted on the late Miocene, Pliocene and Quaternary sedimentary stacking pattern of Neogene basins along the SIM for both academic and resources exploration purposes. However, understanding of the region rests primarily on basic seismic stratigraphy calibrated with limited data from only a few exploration wells. The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 339 recently drilled five sites in the Gulf of Cadiz and two sites on the western Iberian margin. The integration of core and borehole data with other geophysical databases leads us to propose a new stratigraphic framework. Interpretation of IODP Exp. 339 data along with that from industry sources and onshore outcrop analysis helps refine our understanding of the SIM's sedimentary evolution.We identify significant changes in sedimentation style and dominant sedimentary processes, coupled with widespread depositional hiatuses along the SIM within the Cadiz, Sanlucar, Doñana, Algarve and Alentejo basins. Following the 4.5 Ma cessation of a previous phase of tectonic activity related to the Miocene–Pliocene boundary, tectonics continued to influence margin development, downslope sediment transport and CDS evolution. Sedimentary features indicate tectonic pulses of about 0.8–0.9 Ma duration with a pronounced overprint of ~ 2–2.5 Ma cycles. These more protracted cycles relate to the westward rollback of subducted lithosphere at the convergent Africa-Eurasia plate boundary as its previous NW–SE compressional regime shifted to a WNW–ESE direction. Two major compressional events affecting to the Neogene basins at 3.2–3 Ma and 2–2.3 Ma help constrain the three main stages of CDS evolution. The stages include: 1) the initial-drift stage (5.33–3.2 Ma) with a weak MOW, 2) a transitional-drift stage (3.2–2 Ma) and 3) a growth-drift stage (2 Ma-present time) with enhanced MOW circulation into the Atlantic and associated contourite development due to greater bottom-current velocity. Two minor Pleistocene discontinuities at 0.7–0.9 Ma and 0.3–0.6 Ma record the effects of renewed tectonic activity on basin evolution, appearing most prominently in the Doñana basin. Several discontinuities bounding major and minor units appear on seismic profiles. Quaternary records offer the clearest example of this, with major units of about 0.8–0.9 Ma and sub-units of 0.4–0.5 Ma. Sedimentation is controlled by a combination of tectonics, sediment supply, sea-level and climate. This research identifies time scales of tectonic controls on deep-mari...
Two gravity cores, Gebra-1 and Gebra-2 from the central and eastern basins of Bransfield Strait, West Antarctica, consist mainly of hemipelagic, laminated muds with black layers rich in sand-sized volcanic ash. Micropalaeontological (diatoms and radiolarians) and geochemical (organic and inorganic) analyses, together with radiometric dating (U/Th, 14C and 210Pb) have been performed on both cores. AMS analyses on Total Organic Carbon yielded a 14C-age older than expected, 2810 yr BP for the core top of Gebra-1 and 2596 yr BP for Gebra-2. The downcore pattern of ages indicates a sedimentation rate of 130 cm kyr1 for Gebra-1 and 160 cm kyr1 for Gebra-2 210Pb anomalies suggest the core top of Gebra-1 is present-day sediment. The diatom and radiolarian assemblages are related to the sequence of neoglacial events over the last three millennia. The recent significant reduction in Chaetoceros resting spores is interpreted as a reduction in palaeoproductivity. The progressive increase in sea-ice taxa for the last three millennia may indicate a cooling trend. Greater sea-ice coverage during the coldest neoglacial events in the Bransfield Basin, as well as in the Weddell Sea and Bellingshausen Sea, is documented by increases in sea-ice taxa and reductions in Thalassiosira antarctica/ T. scotia resting spores, Fragilariopsis kerguelensis, the Lithomelissa group and the “circumpolar” group of radiolarians. For these periods, we postulate a restricted communication between the Weddell Sea, Bellingshausen Sea and Bransfield basin. The millenial-scale changes are overprinted by a high frequency cyclicity at about 200–300 yrs, which might be related to the 200–yrs solar cycle.
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