Geochemical study for provenance and paleoceanography on ODP Site 907 sediments of the North Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

A geochemical analysis is conducted on hemipelagic sediments at ODP Leg 162, Site 907, North Atlantic. On the basis of major and minor element concentrations, the sequence is divided into five units. Geochemical data reveal that the sediments originated from two specific source areas, i.e., continental ice-rafted debris (IRD) and Icelandic basalt In the upper part (lithological units I and II, 0 to 63.1 meters below sea floor (mbsf)), sediments were derived from continental IRD, whereas in the lower part, sediments (lithological units III, IV, and V, below 63.1 mbsf) comprise mixture of continental IRD and minor supply from the Icelandic basalt The ratio of TiO2/Al2O3 to SiO2 content and the Th to Ti/Al molar ratio clearly provide a key to discriminate provenances. The change in source area is most likely related to the oceanographic and climatic evolution in the North Atlantic since the middle Miocene. Biogenic fossil-barren intervals (Units II and V) are considered as a consequence of dissolution caused by oceanic circulation. The timing of IRD initiation confers with that of geochemical analysis. Total organic carbon to total nitrogen (C/N) ratio shows a striking variation in the entire core. The C/N ratios exceed 10 below approximately 196 mbsf (lithological unit V) with a gradual downward increase. This suggests that terrigenous organic matters have been supplied from the neighboring continents. The total organic carbon to total sulfur (C/S) ratio also shows such possibility as well as diagenetic changes in Units IV and V. The carbonate-barren intervals presented in Units II and V, and intermittently in Units III and IV are interpreted as a consequence of dissolution effect related with climatic variation and deep-water circulation. Additional low surface productivity was considerable.