Chemostratigraphy of the Snorry drift in the Northern Atlantic

Abstract

On the basis of multi-element chemical analysis and oxygen isotopic data, for the first time the distribution of some geochemical indicators was investigated in the sediment core taken at the Western slope of the Snorry contourite drift (St. AI-3378, North Atlantic) in the 49th cruise of RV "Akademik Ioffe" in 2015. Down the core an asynchronous change in the terrigenous (IRD, Al, Si, Ti, Zr, Cr) and biogenic indicators (CaCO3, Corg) was recorded. Based on multi-element geochemical data, the rhythmic distribution along the core of terrigenous and biogenic sedimentary material has been revealed. Sedimentary matter entered the study area as a result of ice and iceberg unloading, as well as brought by near-bottom currents. The intensity and direction of the near-bottom contour currents seemed to change dramatically with the change of warming and cooling periods during the six marine isotope stages MIS 1–6 (the last 190 ka).