Description: Southern Ocean westerly wind intensity and position are thought to play a crucial role in controlling glacial/interglacial CO2 changes through their impact on Antarctic upwelling intensity and the delivery of iron-rich dust that stimulates biological production during glacial periods. Sediment-core grain size records can provide key insights into changes in wind strength and source-area characteristics over glacial-interglacial timescales. However, so far, little is known about G/IG grain size changes in Southern Ocean sediments. For this study, we analyzed the grain-size distributions of two subantarctic deep sea sediments cores from the Pacific (PS75/056-1) and Atlantic (ODP Site 1090) sectors of the Southern Ocean. Dust mean grain size shows opposing trends in the two Southern Ocean sectors. Coarser glacial grain sizes are observed in the Pacific sector, while finer glacial grain-sizes are observed in the Atlantic. Our results suggest that changes in the latitudinal position of the SWW had distinct impacts on grain size distribution in the Atlantic and Pacific sectors, also likely associated with shifts in the dust source areas. These findings indicate that more extensive studies of grain-size distribution in the Southern Ocean can provide important insights on the timing and latitudinal extent of the westerly winds changes during ice ages.

Description: Rapid regional warming at an increasing pace ever since the end of the Little Ice Age (c. AD 1900) causes significant change in the coastal marine environments of the West Antarctic Peninsula and beyond. A comprehensive set of hydroacoustic ground-discrimination data (RoxAnn GDX) was gathered to develop a high resolution characterization of the seafloor habitats in the Potter Cove, King George Island, a small fjord with a retreating former tidewater glacier at its head. Sediment samples and underwater video footage are used for ground truthing. Seven habitat zones are distinguished. These include the shallow high-energy wave zone exposing unvegetated rocks to the low-energy deeper basins characterized by muddy sediments and the typical biota including ophiuroids, ascidians, sponges, sea pens. The results allow to subdivide the Potter Cove into a “dynamic zone” (DZ) with rocks and mixed fine sediments covering the inner cove, a large transition zone that we call the “subrecent zone” (SZ) buried under fine meltwater sediments and the “quasi persistent zone” (QPZ) that reveals more mature conditions in many aspects further downfjord. These zones represent development stages resulting from the increasing distance to and decreasing influence of the glacier front. The DZ is trailing directly behind the retreating glacier front. As long as there is strong discharge of sediment-loaded meltwater the DZ transitions into the SZ after a period of time (under recent conditions: decades) which itself transitions into the QPZ after centuries. We assume that during the Medieval Warm Period (c. AD 800-1350) the glacier terminus was at or even behind its present position. Until the maximum of the Little Ice Age the glacier advanced to form a prominent moraine complex. Ever since the glacier retreated at increasing speed to its recent position. If the warming trend continues the glacier will retreat further away from the fjord head and the QPZ will likely cover the entire fjord after several centuries.