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Monsoon-induced changes in surface hydrography of the eastern Arabian Sea during the early Pleistocene

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2019

Rajeev Kumar Satpathy ,
Stephan Steinke  and
Arun Deo Singh Open the ORCID record for Arun Deo Singh [Opens in a new window]
Rajeev Kumar Satpathy
Affiliation:
Center of Advanced Study in Geology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
Stephan Steinke
Affiliation:
MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany Department of Geological Oceanography & State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
Arun Deo Singh*
Affiliation:
Center of Advanced Study in Geology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
*
Email: arundeosingh@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Upper water column dynamics in the eastern Arabian Sea were reconstructed in order to investigate changes in the activity of the South Asian / Indian monsoon during the early Pleistocene (c. 1.5–2.7 Ma). We used planktic foraminiferal assemblage records combined with isotopic (δ18O and δ13C) data, Mg/Ca-based sea surface temperatures and seawater δ18O records to estimate changes in surface water conditions at International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1457. Our records indicate two distinct regimes of monsoon-induced changes in upper water structure during the periods c. 1.55–1.65 Ma and c. 1.85–2.7 Ma. We infer that a more stratified upper water column and oligotrophic mixed layer conditions prevailed during the period 1.85–2.7 Ma, which may be due to overall weaker South Asian / Indian winter (NE) and summer (SW) monsoon circulations. The period 1.55–1.65 Ma was characterized by enhanced eutrophication of the mixed layer, which was probably triggered by intensified winter (NE) monsoonal winds. The long-term trend in hydrographic changes during 1.55–1.65 Ma appears to be superimposed by short-term variations, probably reflecting glacial/interglacial changes. We suggest that an intensification of the South Asian / Indian winter monsoon circulation occurred between ∼1.65 Ma and 1.85 Ma, which is most likely due to the development of strong meridional and zonal atmospheric circulations (i.e. Walker Circulation and Hadley Circulation) because of strong equatorial East–West Pacific temperature gradients.

Keywords

Arabian Seaearly PleistocenehydrographyIODP Site U1457; monsoonplanktic foraminifera
Type
Original Article
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 157 , Special Issue 6: Climate-tectonic interactions in the eastern Arabian Sea , June 2020 , pp. 1001 - 1011
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2019

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