Controls on Sr/Ca in benthic foraminifera and implications for seawater Sr/Ca during the late Pleistocene

Yu, Jimin and Elderfield, Henry and Jin, Zhangdong and Tomascak, Paul and Rohling, Eelco J. (2014) Controls on Sr/Ca in benthic foraminifera and implications for seawater Sr/Ca during the late Pleistocene. Quaternary Science Reviews, 98. pp. 1-6. ISSN 0277-3791 DOI 10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.05.018

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Abstract

Changes in the Sr to Ca ratio of sea water have important implications for the interpretation of past climate. It has proven difficult to interpret Sr/Ca of foraminiferal calcite as a measure of seawater Sr/Ca or as reflecting the influence of deep water carbonate ion saturation (Δ{CO}32-) on the incorporation of Sr into benthic foraminiferal carbonate. Here, we address this issue by measurements of paired benthic foraminiferal Sr/Ca and B/Ca (a proxy for deep water $\Delta${CO}32-) for core-tops from the global ocean and three down cores at different settings during the Last Glacial{\textendash}interglacial cycle. These new data suggest a significant control of deep water $\Delta${CO}32- on benthic foraminiferal Sr/Ca, and that down-core shell Sr/Ca variations can be largely accounted for by past deep water $\Delta${CO}32- changes. We conclude that seawater Sr/Ca has likely remained near-constant on glacial{\textendash}interglacial timescales during the late Pleistocene, in agreement with model results. With due caution, benthic Sr/Ca may be used as an auxiliary proxy for deep water $\Delta${CO}32- if seawater Sr/Ca is constant.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	2014AREP; IA68;
Subjects:	01 - Climate Change and Earth-Ocean Atmosphere Systems
Divisions:	01 - Climate Change and Earth-Ocean Atmosphere Systems
Journal or Publication Title:	Quaternary Science Reviews
Volume:	98
Page Range:	pp. 1-6
Identification Number:	10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.05.018
Depositing User:	Sarah Humbert
Date Deposited:	25 Aug 2014 21:28
Last Modified:	07 Sep 2014 01:53
URI:	http://eprints.esc.cam.ac.uk/id/eprint/3104

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