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Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2664
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2664
13 Nov 2023
 | 13 Nov 2023

Distinct oxygenation modes of the Gulf of Oman during the past 43,000 years – a multi-proxy approach

Nicole Burdanowitz, Gerhard Schmiedl, Birgit Gaye, Philipp Munz, and Hartmut Schulz

Abstract. Climatic conditions and its change shape the strength and extent of the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). The presence and variability of the OMZ in the Arabian Sea is of importance for their ecosystem. The state of oxygenation has, for instance, an impact on the pelagic and benthic faunal community or the nitrogen and carbon cycles. The understanding of the dynamics of the OMZ, its marine environmental is of importance due to its climate feedbacks. In this study, we combined three independent proxies to reconstruct the oxygenation state of the water column and bottom water in the Gulf of Oman for the past about 43 ka for the first time. We used nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) as well as the alkane ratio (lycopane + n-C35)/n-C31 and benthic foraminiferal faunal analysis to reconstruct the strength of the OMZ in the water column and bottom water oxygenation, respectively. Our results show that the Gulf of Oman experienced strong pronounced OMZ and bottom water deoxygenation during the Holocene. Contrary, during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM)/ Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 the Gulf of Oman was very well ventilated with a highly diverse benthic foraminiferal community. This may have been caused by stronger wind-induced mixing and better ventilation by oxygen-rich water masses. Our results also show moderate oxygenation during MIS 3 with deoxygenation events during most of the warmer Dansgaard-Oeschger (D/O) events. We propose two distinct oxygenation modes for the Gulf of Oman: 1) a stable period of either strongly pronounced water column OMZ and bottom water deoxygenation or well-oxygenated water column and bottom water conditions and 2) an unstable period of oscillating oxygenation states between moderately oxygenated (stadials) and deoxygenated (interstadial, D/O events) conditions.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

20 Mar 2024
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Distinct oxygenation modes of the Gulf of Oman over the past 43 000 years – a multi-proxy approach
Nicole Burdanowitz, Gerhard Schmiedl, Birgit Gaye, Philipp M. Munz, and Hartmut Schulz
Biogeosciences, 21, 1477–1499, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1477-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1477-2024, 2024
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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

This excellent publication uses a multiproxy approach consisting of benthic formaminifera, lipid...
Short summary
We analyzed benthic foraminifera, nitrogen isotopes and lipids in a sediment core from the Gulf...
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