Magnetic signature of rapid climatic variations in glacial North Atlantic, a review

The magnetic properties of numerous glacial sedimentary sequences widely distributed in North Atlantic have been analyzed and we present a review of the obtained results. Two provinces are distinguished. In the Ruddiman belt (between 40° and 55°N), large amounts of coarse magnetic grains are delivered by iceberg surges (Heinrich events). On the contrary, along the path of the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), only the magnetic concentration changes and the ice rafting events coincide with magnetic minima. The rapid variations observed in the Greenland ice cores are clearly expressed in these cores. This magnetic variability is interpreted as illustrating variations in the strength of the NADW. To cite this article: C. Kissel, C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).