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Evidence for middle Eocene Arctic sea ice from diatoms and ice-rafted debris

Author

Listed:
  • Catherine E. Stickley

    (University of Tromsø
    Norwegian Polar Institute, Polar Environmental Centre, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway)

  • Kristen St John

    (James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807, USA)

  • Nalân Koç

    (University of Tromsø
    Norwegian Polar Institute, Polar Environmental Centre, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway)

  • Richard W. Jordan

    (Yamagata University)

  • Sandra Passchier

    (Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey 07043, USA)

  • Richard B. Pearce

    (National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, University of Southampton)

  • Lance E. Kearns

    (James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807, USA)

Abstract

The arrival of Arctic ice Sea ice has not always existed in the Arctic and indeed little is known about the sea-ice history of this climatically sensitive region. The recent discovery of ice-rafted debris in middle Eocene ocean sediments prompted suggestions that ice appeared in the Arctic about 46 million years ago, but it is important to distinguish between land-based glacial ice and sea ice as the source of the debris because each kind of ice has different climate implications. Now the analysis of an oceanic sediment core from the ACEX project reveals vast quantities of well-preserved fossils of the needle-like diatom Synedropsis spp., which relied on sea ice for its survival, at about 260 metres below the sea floor of the central Arctic. This, in combination with detailed grain analysis, suggests that sea ice was the dominant source of ice-rafted debris at around 47.5–45.5 million years ago. The results push back the first appearance of ice in the Arctic by 1.25 million years, and the first appearance of sea-ice diatoms by 16 million years.

Suggested Citation

  • Catherine E. Stickley & Kristen St John & Nalân Koç & Richard W. Jordan & Sandra Passchier & Richard B. Pearce & Lance E. Kearns, 2009. "Evidence for middle Eocene Arctic sea ice from diatoms and ice-rafted debris," Nature, Nature, vol. 460(7253), pages 376-379, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:460:y:2009:i:7253:d:10.1038_nature08163
    DOI: 10.1038/nature08163
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