Abstract
Total organic carbon (TOC), biogenic silica (Bsi), and total sulfur (TS) contents in core sediments of Maxwell Bay are examined in order to investigate paleoclimatic changes during the Holocene. Both TOC and Bsi contents generally show a downcore decrease, which reflects that primary productivity in surface waters has increased during the Holocene. In contrast, TS contents show a downcore increase, which is probably due to a decrease in terrigenous input of hydrothermal-origin pyrite. In Maxwell Bay, primary productivity was low prior to 4700 yr BP because sea ice permanently covered the surface. As the climate became relatively warm after 4700 yr BP, sea ice in surface waters sporadically melted, causing an increase in productivity. The climate probably became warm between about 4700 and 3000 yr BP, evidenced by the rapid increase in TOC and Bsi. Grounding glaciers were located near the core sites of Maxwell Bay prior to about 4700 yr BP. As the climate became warm, grounding glaciers have retreated and been located at the present site since about 3000 yr BP.
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Kim, D., Park, BK., Yoon, H.I. et al. Geochemical evidence for Holocene paleoclimatic changes in Maxwell Bay of South Shetland Islands, West Antarctica. Geosci J 3, 55–62 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02910235
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02910235