EL FRIHMAT, Yassine University Mohammed V of Rabat - Faculty of Sciences, Morocco , HEBBELN, Dierk University of Bremen - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), Germany , JAAIDI, EL Bachir University Mohammed V of Rabat - Faculty of Sciences, Morocco , MHAMMDI, Nadia University Mohammed V of Rabat - Scientific Institute, Morocco

Late Quaternary history of the Mediterranean outflow to the southern part of the Gulf of Cadiz, evidence from benthic foraminiferal carbon isotope

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Five sediment cores taken from the Larache offshore (~ 35°N, 7°W) were investigated in order to determine the water depth draining and the advection strength of the Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) to the Atlantic during the last 40 kyrs. The benthic δ13C records and the gradients generated allowed to register past shifts in the proportions of the MOW during the late Quaternary. The variation through time of the benthic δ18O values suggests shifts in the salinity and or temperature, this has a direct influence on the water mass density, and therefore on the depth advection of the MOW. Besides, the mean grain-size revealed a significantly stronger advection during the Younger Dryas (YD) and Dansgaard-Oeschger (D-O) stadials.

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Late Quaternary , Mediterranean Outflow water , benthic foraminifera , grain , size , carbon and oxygen isotopes

bulletin de l’institut scientifique, section sciences de la terre

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