Variations of the Beaufort Gyre and depositional responses in the Arctic Ocean since the 350 ka

Abstract

Abstract: The Beaufort Gyre was usually suggested as a main factor to control the residence time and moving direction of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean. Based on records of sediment color cycle, Mn content and foraminiferal abundance, we built up the orbital timescale for the core B85-D from the Alpha Ridge, and discussed variations of ice-rafted debris (IRD> 154 μm) in content, composition and provenance since the Late Quaternary. The results suggest that the most distinct variations occurred during the last glacial (MIS2 ~4) as remarked by the near zero contents of calcium and dolomite, indicating that the carbonate debris from Banks Is., Victoria Is. and District of Mackenzie did not deposit at the Alpha Ridge. The carbonate debris, transported by sea ice, was most likely heading to the Eurasian Basin along the off shore of the North America during the last glacial, when the Beaufort Gyre vanished. In contrast, the carbonate debris was mostly trapped in the Amerasian Basin during the last interglacial (MIS5), when the Beaufort Gyre became strong so as to deposit relatively high content of calcium and dolomite, which was up to 16. 4%. By comparison, is it indicated that the state of the Beaufort Gyre during the MIS6 was closely analogous to that during the MIS2~4,but its state during the glaials MIS8 and MIS10 similar to its state during the interglacial MIS5. Therefore,variations in the Beaufort Gyre are not strictly characterized by the glacial-interglacial cycles, which we speculate, to be modulated by the sea ice concentrationas well as the wind pressure.

Key words: the Arctic Ocean, Beaufort Gyre, ice-rafted debris, carbonate, dolomite

CLC Number:

P736

YE Li-ming, GE Qian, YANG Kehong, XU Dong. Variations of the Beaufort Gyre and depositional responses in the Arctic Ocean since the 350 ka[J]. Journal of Marine Sciences, 2012, 30(4): 20-28.

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