Carbonate and carbon fluctuations in the Eastern Arabian Sea over 140ka: Implications on productivity changes?

Abstract

Biological productivity in the western Arabian Sea was higher during interglacial than glacial times. In the eastern Arabian Sea productivity was higher during the glacials compared to interglacials, which is in sharp contrast to the southwest monsoon intensity variations. To examine temporal changes in productivity in the eastern Arabian Sea over the last 140 ka, oxygen isotopes, calcium carbonate and organic carbon on three cores (SL-1 & 4 and SK 129-CR05) were analyzed. Oxygen isotope records display distinct glacial and interglacial transitions. In the northeastern (Core SL-1) and eastern Arabian Sea (Core SL-4) both calcium carbonate and organic carbon variations show no significant systematic relationship with glacial and interglacials periods. In the southeastern Arabian Sea (Core SK-129-CR05) calcium carbonate shows high and low values during interglacial and glacials, respectively, and temporal changes in organic carbon concentration are significant only during MIS 5. Differential variation of calcium carbonate and organic carbon concentration at the northeastern and southeastern Arabian Sea, and between glacials and interglacials, are attributed to regional differences in sedimentation rates, dilution and preservation, which modify the signal of carbonate and carbon production.