Geochemical, textural, mineralogical and micropaleontological data used for climatic reconstruction during the Holocene in the Galician sector of the Iberian continental margin

Abstract

In the present study, Al, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Cd concentrations were determined in the sediments of the KSGX 40 core collected from the Galicia muddy patch (NW Iberian continental shelf). The results were integrated together with textural, mineralogical and micropaleontological (foraminifera) data in order to determine the possible climatic influence on the type of sedimentation that took place in the muddy patch. The geochemical data of the KSGX 40 core suggest that sediment composition and texture were significantly influenced, over the last 5.2 kyr, by the Holocene sea transgression and by climatic oscillations consisting of both relatively temperate/cold periods and relatively warm/wet periods.

Keywords

• geochemical data
• marine sediments
• climatic oscillations
• Holocene
• Galicia