Ocean environment off SW Svalbard over the last 14 000 years

What is it about?

We reconstruct the oceanographic history of the SW Svalbard shelf over the last 14 00o years. For that purpose we analyzed benthic foraminifera - unicellular organisms living on the sea bottom, the chemical composition of their shells, as well as the grain size of the sediment. We focused on the influence of warm Atlantic water, cold Arctic water, sea ice and Svalbard glaciers on the shelf environment.

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Why is it important?

This article adds to our understanding of the oceanographic changes during the transition from the last glacial to the present interglacial, the Holocene, and the further evolution of the latter. It also deepens our knowledge on the processes shaping the ocean environment and interactions between them.