Record of the early Holocene warming in a laminated sediment core from Cape Hallett Bay (Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica)

This paper presents an integrated multiproxy approach study (sedimentological, geochemical, preliminary smear-slides diatom assemblages, and 14C ages analyses) performed on a sediment core collected in Cape Hallett Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica). Sediments record the early Holocene rapid climate changes: buried varved diatomaceous ooze on the base of core (>9.5–9.4 ka BP) are linked to the early Holocene warming and open marine conditions. From 9.4 ka BP, the climate starts to cool (massive mud). From 8.0 to 7.8 ka BP, sandy mud sediment suggests a rapid landward recession of the local/regional glaciers, with relevant underflow inputs, together with the onset of seasonal sea-ice formation. The ages and the characteristics of the youngest sediments are related to the changed oceanographic conditions linked to the retreat of the calving front of the Ross Ice Shelf.