Not logged in
PANGAEA.
Data Publisher for Earth & Environmental Science

Cook, Mea S; Keigwin, Lloyd D; Birgel, Daniel; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe (2011): Stable isotope and geochemical record of sediments from the Bering Sea [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830695, Supplement to: Cook, MS et al. (2011): Repeated pulses of vertical methane flux recorded in glacial sediments from the southeast Bering Sea. Paleoceanography, 26(2), PA2210, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010PA001993

Always quote citation above when using data! You can download the citation in several formats below.

RIS CitationBibTeX CitationShow MapGoogle Earth

Abstract:
here is controversy over the role of marine methane hydrates in atmospheric methane concentrations and climate change during the last glacial period. In this study of two sediment cores from the southeast Bering Sea (700 m and 1467 m water depth), we identify multiple episodes during the last glacial period of intense methane flux reaching the seafloor. Within the uncertainty of the radiocarbon age model, the episodes are contemporaneous in the two cores and have similar timing and duration as Dansgaard-Oeschger events. The episodes are marked by horizons of sediment containing 13C-depleted authigenic carbonate minerals; 13C-depleted archaeal and bacterial lipids, which resemble those found in ANME-1 type anaerobic methane oxidizing microbial consortia; and changes in the abundance and species distribution of benthic foraminifera. The similar timing and isotopic composition of the authigenic carbonates in the two cores is consistent with a region-wide increase in the upward flux of methane bearing fluids. This study is the first observation outside Santa Barbara Basin of pervasive, repeated methane flux in glacial sediments. However, contrary to the "Clathrate Gun Hypothesis" (Kennett et al., 2003), these coring sites are too deep for methane hydrate destabilization to be the cause, implying that a much larger part of the ocean's sedimentary methane may participate in climate or carbon cycle feedback at millennial timescales. We speculate that pulses of methane in these opal-rich sediments could be caused by the sudden release of overpressure in pore fluids that builds up gradually with silica diagenesis. The release could be triggered by seismic shaking on the Aleutian subduction zone caused by hydrostatic pressure increase associated with sea level rise at the start of interstadials.
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 54.541550 * Median Longitude: -168.106850 * South-bound Latitude: 54.530000 * West-bound Longitude: -168.666900 * North-bound Latitude: 54.553100 * East-bound Longitude: -167.546800
Date/Time Start: 2002-07-03T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2002-07-05T00:00:00
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
Size:
11 datasets

Download Data

Download ZIP file containing all datasets as tab-delimited text — use the following character encoding:

Datasets listed in this publication series

  1. Cook, MS; Keigwin, LD; Birgel, D et al. (2011): (Table 1) Age determination of sediment cores HLY02-02-51 and HLY02-02-57. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830680
  2. Cook, MS; Keigwin, LD; Birgel, D et al. (2011): (Table S5) Absolute abundance of benthic foraminifera in sediment core HLY02-02-51. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830688
  3. Cook, MS; Keigwin, LD; Birgel, D et al. (2011): (Table S9) Stable carbon isotope composition of tetraether-derived biphytanes of sediment core HLY02-02-51. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830693
  4. Cook, MS; Keigwin, LD; Birgel, D et al. (2011): (Table S7) Geochemistry of sediment core HLY02-02-51. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830691
  5. Cook, MS; Keigwin, LD; Birgel, D et al. (2011): (Table S1) Stable isotope composition of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma s of sediment core HLY02-02-51. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830681
  6. Cook, MS; Keigwin, LD; Birgel, D et al. (2011): (Table S3) Stable isotope composition of Uvigerina peregrina of sediment core HLY02-02-51. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830686
  7. Cook, MS; Keigwin, LD; Birgel, D et al. (2011): (Table S6) Absolute abundance of benthic foraminifera in sediment core HLY02-02-57. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830689
  8. Cook, MS; Keigwin, LD; Birgel, D et al. (2011): (Table S10) Stable carbon isotope composition of tetraether-derived biphytanes of sediment core HLY02-02-57. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830694
  9. Cook, MS; Keigwin, LD; Birgel, D et al. (2011): (Table S8) Geochemistry of sediment core HLY02-02-57. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830692
  10. Cook, MS; Keigwin, LD; Birgel, D et al. (2011): (Table S2) Stable isotope composition of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma s of sediment core HLY02-02-57. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830682
  11. Cook, MS; Keigwin, LD; Birgel, D et al. (2011): (Table S4) Stable isotope composition of Uvigerina peregrina of sediment core HLY02-02-57. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.830687