Late Quaternary terrigenous sediment supply in the Drake Passage in response to Patagonian and Antarctic ice dynamics

The Drake Passage, as the narrowest passage around Antarctica, exerts significant influences on physical, chemical, and biological interactions between Pacific Atlantic Ocean. Here, we identify terrigenous sediment sources transport pathways in Passage region over past 140 ka BP (thousand years before present), based grain size, clay mineral assemblages, geochemistry mass-specific magnetic susceptibility records. Terrigenous supply is mainly derived from southeast Pacific, southern South America Antarctic Peninsula. Our results provide robust evidence that Circumpolar Current (ACC) has served key driver for dispersal Passage. High glacial mass accumulation rates indicate enhanced detrital input, which was closely linked to a large expansion of ice sheets Peninsula during maximum, significantly advanced glaciers eroded more glaciogenic sediments continental hinterlands into Moreover, lower sea levels exposed shelves, together with weakened ACC strength likely amplified efficiency deposition deep ocean. In contrast, glaciers' shrinkage interglacials, higher sea-level conditions storage nearby fjords reduced inputs. Furthermore, stronger may have induced winnowing effects further lowered rates. Evolution sheets, level changes climate related dynamic thus exerted critical last glacial-interglacial cycle.