Climate Cycles and Events in the Plio-Pleistocene of the Yermak Plateau, Arctic Ocean: Causes and Consequences
Final Report Abstract
This project examined the frequent and cyclic changes of mineralogical and inorganic composition of the Yermak Plateau ODP core sequences. The data set we built during the project is very extensive and we will be able to produce several more interesting reconstructions. The intense research of us and our Norwegian partners has just begun. Age models are to be specified and detailed. The older history between approx. 8 and 3 Ma has emerged as extremely interesting. We now nurture a well running network of German Arctic IODP research, already fostering further projects. In 2009 we extended this to a cooperation with Prof. Dr. Martin Frank, IFM-Geomar Kiel, on the Be-stratigraphy of the older part of Hole ODP911A. This was also strongly supported by our Norwegian partners led by Dr. Jochen Knies of the Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim. Sharing of ideas and resources has led to a much better understanding of the sedimentation and tectonic history of the Yermak Plateau and Fram Strait Arctic Ocean Gateway region. We would like to emphasize that work on the lower 250 m of ODP 910C in 2009 and 2010 has been initiated by the Norwegian Arctic Chronology project as a necessary follow-up to the here funded research as well as future XRF-scanning of ODP912. As better age models will come up because our Norwegian colleagues were able to draw benthic calcerous foraminifera by using large amounts of sediment from the cores below ca. 250 to 280 m bsf, we are positive that a Pliocene and upper Miocene history can be deciphered in the future.
