CESARE EMILIANI Institute of Marine Science, University of Miami, Miami, Fla. Paleotemperature Analysis of the Caribbean Cores A
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CESARE EMILIANI Institute of Marine Science, University of Miami, Miami, Fla. Paleotemperature Analysis of the Caribbean Cores A254-BR-C and CP-28 Abstract: Two cores from the central Caribbean been extended to an estimated age of 375,000 years (cores A254-BR-C and CP-28), which include ago, but the extension should not be considered older Pleistocene sediments, have been analyzed generally valid until substantiated by isotopic by the O18/O16 method. Core A254-BR-C has analysis of suitable cores as yet not available. been dated, in part, by C14 and Pa231/Th230 The methods used by Ericson, Ewing, Wollin, measurements. Both apparently contain major and associates, for estimating past temperatures hiatuses, but their stratigraphy has been clarified from the micropaleontology of deep-sea cores, and by correlations among the isotopic temperature the correlations advocated between deep-sea and curves and the curves representing the percentages continental stratigraphies are critically reviewed. of right-coiled specimens of Globorotaha truncatuh- The evidence provided by cores A254-BR-C and noides, together with correlations among the core CP-28 adds to the contention that the repeated levels where Globorotaha menardii flexuosa disap- glaciations of the Pleistocene were triggered by pears and among other levels where Globorotalia summer insolation minima in the high northern truncatulinoides becomes rare. The generalized latitudes. temperature curve, previously constructed, has CONTENTS Introduction 129 on shells of Globigerinoides sacculifera . 144 Acknowledgments 131 Analysis of cores A254-BR-C and CP-28 .... 131 Figure Review of methods used by Ericson, Ewing, and 1. Geographic locations of Caribbean cores. 131 associates in analyzing and evaluating the 2. Core A254-BR-C 132 stratigraphic record of deep-sea sediments . 136 3. Core CP-28 132 Conclusion 141 4. Correlations among cores A179-4, A172-6, A254- References cited 141 BR-C, and CP-28 133 Appendix 1. Core A254-BR-C. Oxygen isotopic 5. Generalized temperature curve 136 analyses on shells of Globigerinoides sacculifera 144 6. Cores A179-4 and A172-6 138 Appendix 2. Core A254-BR-C. Oxygen isotopic 7. Comparison of generalized climatic zonation of analyses on shells of Globorotalia menardii . 144 deep-sea cores proposed by Emiliani with Appendix 3. Core CP-28. Oxygen isotopic analyses that proposed by Ericson and others . .140 sea cores from the Atlantic and adjacent seas INTRODUCTION revealed the temperature oscillations very The geochemical study of deep-sea cores clearly (Emiliani, 1955a; 1955b; 1958; Rosholt (Arrhenius, 1952; Emiliani, 1955a; 1955b; and others, 1961; 1962). The background 1958; 1961; Rosholt and others, 1961; 1962; noise of the temperature curves of the various and references therein) has cast considerable cores, caused by the imperfect mixing of the light on the major events of the Pleistocene. sediment by bottom animals, the sampling Because of the nearly instantaneous heat ex- statistics, the analytical error, etc. (cf. Emiliani, change between ice caps and ocean water, the 1961) was filtered out by cross-correlation of oscillations of the continental ice caused the various cores, and a generalized tempera- synchronous oscillations in the temperature ture curve was constructed (Emiliani, 1955a; of the ocean water. The Atlantic and adjacent 1958; 1961). This curve was divided into high seas underwent especially strong temperature temperature stages (identified by odd integers oscillations because of the nearness of the increasing with age) and low temperature major northern ice sheets. Oxygen isotopic stages (identified by even integers increasing analysis of fossil pelagic Foraminifera in deep- with age). Most maxima and minima reach Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 75, p. 129-144, 7 figs., February 1964 129 Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/gsabulletin/article-pdf/75/2/129/3427567/i0016-7606-75-2-129.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 130 C. EMILIANI—PALEOTEMPERATURE ANALYSIS OF CARIBBEAN CORES equivalent values, but some (stages 3, 8, and and because of the local pattern of vertical 12) do not. circulation of the sea water (Emiliani, 1955a). The climatic history of the more recent Considering that Globorotalia menardii tumida portion of the Pleistocene has been considera- and Globorotalia menardii menardii appear to bly clarified by the oxygen isotopic analysis and deposit their shell material at about the same the absolute dating of the deep-sea cores previ- depth (Emiliani, 1954, Table 2), a comparison ously published, but the climatic history of of the isotopic temperatures given by G. the earlier Pleistocene is still largely obscure. menardii tumida in core 58 with those given Very few continuous sections of marine or by G. menardii menardii in the Caribbean core continental deposits representing appreciable A179-4 (Emiliani, 1955a, Figs. 2 and 11) sug- portions of the earlier Pleistocene time have gests that the temperature variations at the been described in adequate detail. The long surface of the eastern equatorial Pacific were deep-sea cores nos. 58 and 62 from the eastern about twice as large as those mentioned. Thus, equatorial Pacific (Arrhenius, 1952) penetrate, the temperature decrease shown by the lower probably with sedimentary continuity, sedi- half of core 58 would be about 6°C for the ment layers belonging to the older Pleistocene surface water, and the temperature fluctuations or the Pliocene. The carbonate percentage shown by its upper half would be about 4°C oscillates markedly throughout these cores, (as compared to about 9°C in the equatorial suggesting appreciable climatic variations. Atlantic and the Caribbean). These values are Paleotemperature analysis of core 58 showed an not corrected for the isotopic effect of the appreciable temperature decrease (about 3°C) sea water (cf. Emiliani, 1955a). from the bottom to the middle of the core, Oxygen isotopic analysis of the continuous and temperature oscillations of about 2°C in Plio-Pleistocene section of marine sediments the rest (Emiliani, 1955a, Fig. 11). These at Le Castella, Calabria, southern Italy, re- oscillations, however, do not offer a clear vealed marked temperature fluctuations even picture of climatic changes because of the in the Pliocene. These increase in amplitude relatively small value of the secular temperature in the earliest Pleistocene without, however, change in the equatorial Pacific, because of the attaining the amplitude characteristic of the deeper habitat (with respect to shell deposition) later Pleistocene (Emiliani and others, 1961). of the foraminiferal species available for iso- A progressive decrease of the secular tempera- topic analysis (Globorotalia menardii tumida)1, ture maxima and minima was also observed, but no sudden, large temperature decrease was * Oxygen isotopic analysis showed that Globorotalia noticed across the sharply defined paleonto- deposits its shell material at average depths greater than logical boundary. Pollen analysis of relatively Globigerinoides and other genera of pelagic Foraminifera long sections of continental sediments in (Emiliani, 1954; 1955a; 1958). This was later substanti- northern Italy, Poland, and the Netherlands ated by the observation that Globorotalia shells from deeper plankton tows are thicker than those from shal- of a pelagic foraminiferal species is deposited at some lower tows (Be, 1960; Ericson and others, 1961; Ericson depth below the surface, "... the reliability of the and Wollin, 1962). Be (1960) states that the measured chemistry of the shell as an indicator of conditions in the differences in isotopic temperatures among different euphotic zone is seriously impared." This statement is species of pelagic Foraminifera from the same deep-sea incorrect. Since the information contained in a bio- core samples can be interpreted in terms of seasonal dif- chemical system refers only to the specific environment ferences rather than in terms of different depth habitats where the system was formed, the O18/O16 ratios in shells of shell deposition as proposed by the writer (Emiliani, of pelagic foraminiferal species refer to the depth (and 1954; 1955a). Be's interpretation cannot be accepted season, if seasonal variations occur) at which the average for most of the cores, which were raised in areas where no shell deposition takes place. Since different species of appreciable seasonal temperature variations exist (Carib- pelagic Foraminifera deposit their shell material at dif- bean; equatorial Atlantic; equatorial Pacific: see ferent average depths (Emiliani, 1954), a way is provided Emiliani, 1954; 1955a; this paper). As a result, the to evaluate not only the surface temperature but also measured temperature differences can only be due to that at the various depths through the euphotic zone different depth habitats of average shell deposition, (See Emiliani, 1955a, Fig. 2). Therefore, far from pro- because the low temperatures observed occur only at ducing an impairment, the depth spectrum of shell depth and not at the surface at any time of the year. deposition of pelagic Foraminifera provides us with very Where seasonal temperature variations are appreciable, valuable additional information. A statistical analysis the seasonal effect was discussed in detail and properly showing that this spectrum has changed little during the considered (Emiliani, 1955b, 1958). Pleistocene (Emiliani, 1955a) stresses the reliability of Ericson and others (1961) state that if part of the