Environmental magnetic records of Mid-Late Pleistocene drift sedimentary sequences from the Antarctic Peninsula, Pacific Margin

Abstract

The Pacific Continental Margin of the Antarctic Peninsula was the area of interest of the Sediment Drift of The Antarctic Offshore Project (SEDANO Project). A paleomagnetic and environmental study was carried out on four Pleistocene sequences from Drift 7. High resolution measurements were performed on u-channels and about forty-three discrete samples. This work focus on the definition of the mineralogy of the main magnetic carriers which is still matter of debate and on the study of the short time variability of magnetite grain-size which results particularly evident during the last glaciation. ARM/k magnetic parameter resulted to be a good record of such variability and reflects changes in the sedimentation on the rise when the ice sheet was probably closer to the continental shelf edge. An integrated age model has been provided for cores SED-12 and -13, which have the higher sedimentation rates.