Ice rafting history and paleoceanographic reconstructions of Core 08P23 from southern Chukchi Plateau, western Arctic Ocean since Marine Isotope Stage 3

Multiproxy investigations have been performed on Core 08P23 collected from the Chukchi Plateau, the western Arctic Ocean, during the Third Chinese National Arctic Expedition. The core was dated back to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 by a combination of Accelerator Mass Spectrometric (AMS) carbon-14 dating and regional core correlation. A total of five prominent ice-rafted detritus (IRD) events were recognized in MIS 2 and MIS 3. The IRD sources in MIS 3 are originated from vast carbonate rock outcrops of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and clastic quartz in MIS 2 may have a Eurasian origin. Most 18O and 13C values of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral) (Nps) in Core 08P23 are lighter than the average values of surface sediments. The lighter 18O and 13C values of Nps in the two brown layers in MIS 1 and MIS 3 were resulted from meltwater events; and those in the gray layers in MIS 3 were caused by the enhanced sea ice formation. The 18O values varied inversely with 13C in MIS 2 indicate that the study area was covered by thick sea ice or ice sheet with low temperature and little meltwater, which prevented the biological productivity and sea-atmosphere exchange, as well as water mass ventilation. The covaried light values of 18O and 13C in MIS 1 and MIS 3 were resulted from meltwater and/or brine injection.