New insights from multi-proxy data from the West Antarctic continental rise: Implications for dating and interpreting Late Quaternary palaeoenvironmental records

The Antarctic Peninsula’s Pacific margin is one of the best studied sectors continental margin. Since 1990s, several research cruises have targeted rise with geophysical surveys, conventional coring and deep-sea drilling. previous studies highlighted potential large sediment drifts on as high-resolution palaeoenvironmental archives. However, these also suffered from chronological difficulties arising lack calcareous microfossils, initial results geomagnetic relative palaeointensity (RPI) dating promising a possible solution. This paper presents data new cores recovered cruise JR298 seven sites west Peninsula in Bellingshausen Sea objectives to (i) seek foraminifera, especially at shallow drift sites, constrain RPI-based age models, (ii) investigate depositional history locations. We present multi-proxy analyses two previously collected study area. establish models for records compare them published models. In addition, we evaluate reliability different palaeoproductivity proxies infer processes. Planktic foraminifera are various core intervals. Although their stable oxygen isotope (?18O) ratios, tephrochronological constraints glacial-interglacial changes composition provide largely consistent RPI chronologies, observe distinct differences, predominantly cores. Enrichments solid-phase manganese together evidence “burn-down” organic carbon late glacial peak interglacial sediments document non-steady-state diagenesis that may altered magnetic mineralogy and, thus, proxies. process explain discrepancies between those derived ?18O combined tephrochronology. indicate much less reliable productivity proxy than biogenic barium or organically-associated bromine investigated sediments. agreement studies, facies strong control deposition by bottom currents interacted detritus supplied meltwater plumes, gravitational down-slope transport processes pelagic settling iceberg-rafted debris (IRD) planktic microfossils. Bottom-current velocities underwent only minor over cycles crests, rarely affecting Maximum concentrations coarse IRD seafloor surfaces result upward pumping caused extensive bioturbation. has be taken into account when past inferred quantifying clasts >1 mm size.