Glacial South Atlantic Mid Ocean Circulation and ventilation ages changes derived from cold water corals from off Brazil

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Augusto Mangini
• Subject Area: Palaeontology
• Term: from 2009 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 144733378

The combined Th/U and 14C dating of deep sea corals in sediment cores from off Brazil determines the period of growth of the corals and the age of the deep water bathing the corals. During a preliminary study on samples from two sediment cores we have found that corals grew only during specific periods of time foiiowing the Heinrich event 3 (H3), HI and the Younger Dryas. In this project we want first to increase the number of coral samples, to confirm our previous observations at a higher resolution, and second we will study also geochemistry ofthe sediments embedding the corals. The 231Pa/230Th ratios ofthe sediments should deliver additional information about the degree of ventilation of the water and possibly explain the reasons for the enhanced coral growth.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants