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The NW Iberian continental margin is characterised by a complex morphology and by a sedimentary system which was highly dynamic over glacial to interglacial times. The sedimentary history of the continental slope was strongly influenced by the interaction of bottom currents with topographic highs of structural origin leading to the accumulation of several sediment drifts. A combined analysis of gravity cores from different water depth with hydroacoustic data reveals the vertical behaviour of the upper Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) core after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). A coarser grained interval during Deglacial and early Holocene times (17.2 to 9.9 cal ka BP) points to an increase in bottom current strength. This increase in velocity was probably related to oceanic density fronts, which migrated through the 300 m thick transition zone between the underlying Labrador Sea Water and the overlying MOW. Radiocarbon dates timed the current strengthening to 17.2 cal ka BP, and a following weakening of the bottom current to 13.3 cal ka BP at 1965 m water depth and to 9.9 cal ka BP at 1885 m water depth. The depth-dependent current weakening suggests an upward shifting of the transition zone by 80 m that was related either to an overall shallowing of MOW or a vertical contraction of this water mass. The upward movement happened over a time interval of approximately 3.4 thousand years. In addition sediment core analysis reveals significant lateral heterogeneities within cm to dm thick sediment layers in the contourite drift. These heterogeneities suggest a need of a detailed core coverage across current-influenced deposits for palaeoceanographic studies to minimize misinterpretations.

We conducted a multidisciplinary study to provide the stratigraphic and palaeoclimatic context of monsoonal rainfall dynamics and their responses to orbital forcing for the Bay of Bengal. Using sediment lightness we established an age model at orbital resolution for International Ocean Discovery Programme (IODP) Core U1452C-1H that covers the last 200 ka in the lower Bengal Fan. The low-resolution δ18O of G. sacculifer is consistent with global δ18O records, at least for major glacial-to-interglacial transitions. The variability of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and the δ13C composition of organic matter indicate the marine origin of organic matter. Marine primary productivity likely increased during insolation minima, indicative for an enhanced NE monsoon during glacials and stadials. Pristine insolation forcing is also documented for wet-bulk density, red-green color variability, and grain-size variations, indicating that darker and coarser-grained material deposited at higher sedimentation rates during insolation minima. Stronger NE monsoon likely amplified ocean-atmosphere interactions over the Indian Ocean, leading to stronger upwelling through shoaling the thermocline, and higher delivery of sediment to the Bay of Bengal due to higher soil erosion on land. In addition, lower glacial and stadial sea levels as well as stronger westward surface circulation favored delivery of coarser-grained fluvial material to the lower Bengal Fan. At the same time the stronger NE monsoon might have increased the aeolian supply. Total inorganic carbon, the Ca/Ti ratio, and biogenic silica vary dominantly on obliquity frequencies, suggesting mobilization and transport of lithogenic material primarily during lowered sea levels and/or higher influence of the Northern Hemisphere westerlies on the dust transport from the Tibetan Plateau. The close resemblance of sediment lightness and the climate record of Antarctic ice cores over multiple glacial cycles indicate close relationship between high southern latitude and tropical Asian climate through shifts in position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The Bengal Fan monsoonal record shows very clear and strict responses to insolation forcing in the lower part from ~200 ka to the Younger Toba Tuff during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 7 – 5, and less distinct response patterns after deposition of the ash during MIS 4 – 2, consistent with low-amplitude changes in insolation.

The deep southern component water (SCW), comprising Lower Circumpolar Deep Water (LCDW) and Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), is a major component of the global oceanic circulation. It has been suggested that the deep Atlantic water mass structure changed significantly during the last glacial/interglacial cycle. However, deep SCW source-proximal records remain sparse. Here we present three coherent deep SCW paleocurrent records from the deep Argentine continental margin shedding light on deep water circulation and deep SCW flow strength in the Southwest Atlantic since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Based on increased sortable silt values, we propose enhanced deep SCW flow strength from 14 to 10 cal ka B.P. relative to the early deglacial/LGM and the Holocene. We propose a direct influence of deep northern component water (NCW) on deep SCW flow strength due to vertical narrowing of deep SCW spreading, concurrent with a migration of the high-energetic LCDW/AABW interface occupying our core sites. We suggest a shoaled NCW until 13 cal ka B.P., thereby providing space for deep SCW spreading that resulted in reduced carbonate preservation at our core sites. Increased carbonate content from 13 cal ka B.P. indicates that the NCW expanded changing deep water properties at our core sites in the deep Southwest Atlantic. However, southern sourced terrigenous sediments continued to be deposited at our core sites, suggesting that deep SCW flow was uninterrupted along the Argentine continental margin since the LGM.

PARASOUND (3.5 kHz) subbottom echosounder profiles acquired on the southern Spitsbergenbanken, NW Barents Sea, show iceberg-keel scouring features which are buried by sediment that accumulated during the post Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) sea-level rise. Four acoustic units (Units 1 to 4 in stratigraphic order) were differentiated, based on the characterization of their acoustic facies and reflection surfaces. Unit 1 shows a chaotic internal structure and is interpreted as a glacial till, whereas the laminated Units 2 to 4 accumulated by sediment settling from suspension clouds and bottom currents during the last deglaciation phase. The top of Unit 2 was frequently incised by iceberg keels, resulting in up to 12 m deep ploughmarks which were later filled and buried by Unit 3 and 4 sediments. Three main paleo-evironmental changes controlled the evolution of the facies succession: (1) The major shift from till formation (Unit 1) below grounded ice to the accumulation of laminated sediments (Unit 2) which are inferred to reflect ice lifting and meltwater release; (2) Iceberg-keel scouring after sedimentation of Unit 2; (3) the probable abrupt termination of iceberg-keel scouring related to the glacio-eustatic sea-level rise. A linkage between these episodes of changes and short-lasting phases of rapid post LGM sea-level rise, such as meltwater pulses, is inferred, although further studies are needed to better understand the temporal and genetic relationships between the sedimentary events recognized in the Barents Sea and climate changes.

Mud accumulates on continental shelves under a variety of environmental conditions and results in a diverse formation of mud depocenters (MDCs). Their three-dimensional architectures have been in the focus of several recent studies. Due to some terminological confusion concerning MDCs, the present study sets out to define eight individual MDC types in terms of surface sediment distribution and internal geometry. Under conditions of substantial sediment supply, prodeltas (distal zones off river deltas; triangular sheets), subaqueous deltas (disconnected from deltas by strong normal-to-shore currents; wedge-like clinoforms), and mud patches (scattered distribution) and mud blankets (widespread covers) are formed. Forced by hydrodynamic conditions, mud belts in the strict sense (detached from source; elongated bodies), and shallow-water contourite drifts (detached from source; growing normal to prevailing current direction; triangular clinoforms) develop. Controlled by local morphology, mud entrapments (in depressions, behind morphological steps) and mud wedges (triangular clinoforms growing in flow direction) are deposited. Shelf mud deposition took place (1) during early outer-shelf drowning (~14 ka), (2) after inner-shelf inundation to maximum flooding (9.5–6.5 ka), and (3) in sub-recent times (

The Mar del Plata (MdP) Canyon at the Argentine continental margin is incorporated into a major contourite depositional system, built by the incursion of southern-sourced water masses affecting the seafloor at different waters depths. The new sedimentological, morphological and hydro acoustic data provide novel insights into contour and turbidity current interactions in mid-slope (blind) canyons, which do not have a connection to the shelf or an onshore river system. Such canyons are capable to record climate-related ocean stratification changes, current variability, and slope stability. Three sediment cores were obtained along the MdP Canyon thalweg covering the last 20,000 years and compiled with two cores from the adjacent Ewing Terrace. Turbidity-current activity within the MdP Canyon was limited to the time interval from Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to the late deglacial. During the LGM and early deglacial, turbidites reached both the proximal sector and the distal northern flank of the canyon. During the late deglacial only the proximal sector was characterized by turbidite deposition. Similarities in mineralogy and grain-size data indicate that the material transported by the turbidity currents originated from the mid-slope Ewing Terrace. Glacial turbidity-current activity was most probably favored by increased sediment supply along the Ewing Terrace from a shallowed and/or enhanced glacial Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) nepheloid layer. These sediments were trapped by the MdP Canyon, in particular at the head area. During the late deglacial, a displacement or limited AAIW nepheloid layer resulted in less sediment transfer along the Ewing Terrace and immediate accumulation in the MdP Canyon head restricting turbidite deposition to the proximal sector of the canyon. In general, contourite-turbidite interactions provide valuable information on variations in thermohaline circulation such as AAIW distribution and current strength.

Based on a well-established stratigraphic framework and 47 AMS-14C dated sediment cores, the distribution of facies types on the NW Iberian margin is analysed in response to the last deglacial sea-level rise, thus providing a case study on the sedimentary evolution of a high-energy, low-accumulation shelf system. Altogether, four main types of sedimentary facies are defined. (1) A gravel-dominated facies occurs mostly as time-transgressive ravinement beds, which initially developed as shoreface and storm deposits in shallow waters on the outer shelf during the last sea-level lowstand; (2) A widespread, time-transgressive mixed siliceous/biogenic-carbonaceous sand facies indicates areas of moderate hydrodynamic regimes, high contribution of reworked shelf material, and fluvial supply to the shelf; (3) A glaucony-containing sand facies in a stationary position on the outer shelf formed mostly during the last-glacial sea-level rise by reworking of older deposits as well as authigenic mineral formation; and (4) A mud facies is mostly restricted to confined Holocene fine-grained depocentres, which are located in mid-shelf position. The observed spatial and temporal distribution of these facies types on the high-energy, low-accumulation NW Iberian shelf was essentially controlled by the local interplay of sediment supply, shelf morphology, and strength of the hydrodynamic system. These patterns are in contrast to high-accumulation systems where extensive sediment supply is the dominant factor on the facies distribution. This study emphasises the importance of large-scale erosion and material recycling on the sedimentary buildup during the deglacial drowning of the shelf. The presence of a homogenous and up to 15-m thick transgressive cover above a lag horizon contradicts the common assumption of sparse and laterally confined sediment accumulation on high-energy shelf systems during deglacial sea-level rise. In contrast to this extensive sand cover, laterally very confined and maximal 4-m thin mud depocentres developed during the Holocene sea-level highstand. This restricted formation of fine-grained depocentres was related to the combination of: (1) frequently occurring high-energy hydrodynamic conditions; (2) low overall terrigenous input by the adjacent rivers; and (3) the large distance of the Galicia Mud Belt to its main sediment supplier.

Continental shelves represent areas of highest economical and ecological importance. Nevertheless, these sedimentary systems remain poorly understood due to a complex interplay of various factors and processes which results in highly individual construction schemes. Previous studies of sedimentary shelf systems have mainly focused on a limited number of cores, retrieved from Holocene fine-grained depocentres. As such, the relation between shelf architecture and sedimentary history remains largely obscure. Here, we present new data from the NW Iberian shelf comprising shallow-seismic profiles, a large number of sediment cores, and an extended set of radiocarbon dates to reveal the Late Quaternary evolution of a low-accumulation shelf system in detail. On the NW Iberian shelf, three main seismic units are identified. These overly a prominent erosional unconformity on top of the basement. The lowermost Unit 1 is composed of maximal 75-m thick, Late Tertiary to Pleistocene deposits. The youngest sediments of this unit are related to the last glacial sea-level fall. Unit 2 was controlled by the deglacial sea-level rise and shows a maximum thickness of 15 m. Finally, Unit 3 comprises deposits related to the late stage of sea-level rise and the modern sea-level highstand with a thickness of 4 m in mid-shelf position. Two pronounced seismic reflectors separate these main units from each other. Their origin is related to (1) exposure and ravinement processes during lower sea level, and (2) to reworking and re-deposition of coarse sediments during subsequent sea-level rise. According to the sediment core ground-truthing, sediments of the Late Tertiary to Pleistocene unit predominantly display homogenous fine sands with exceptional occurrences of palaeosols that indicate an ancient exposure surface. Fine sands which were deposited in the run of the last sea-level rise show a time-transgressive retrogradational development. The seismic reflectors, bounding the individual units, appear in the cores as 0.1 to 1-m thick deposits consisting either of shell gravels or siliceous coarse sands with gravels. The modern sea-level highstand stage is characterised by zonal deposition of mud forming a mud belt in mid-shelf position, and sediment starvation on outer shelf zones. Radiocarbon ages indicate that this mud belt was the main depocentre for river-supplied fine material on the NW Iberian shelf at least over the past 5.32 ka BP. The initial onset of this depocentre is proposed to be related to a shift in the balance between rate of sea-level rise and amount of terrigenous sediment supply. Various other stratigraphical shelf reconstructions reveal analogies in architecture which indicate that timing and shaping of the individual units on low-accumulation shelves is fundamentally controlled by eustatic sea-level changes. Other factors of local importance such as differential elevation of the basement and the presence of morphological barriers formed by rocky outcrops on the seafloor have additionally modifying influence on the sedimentary processes.

The sedimentation on the Mauritanian shelf off the western Saharan desert is strongly influenced by dust supply and is investigated in this study by combining surface mapping, shallow-acoustic profiling and the analysis of sediment cores. Coarse-grained carbonates dominate wide areas of the open shelf at places where the shelf is exposed to the Atlantic Ocean. The sheltered Golfe d'Arguin, in contrast, is characterized by muddy shoals in its inner area, and locally restricted and wedge-shaped muddy depocenters which extend contour-parallel in mid-shelf settings. In both cases, cross-shelf currents control sediment distribution and accumulation, not location or amount of primary eolian input. A major discontinuity on the outer shelf is located in 85–110 m water plus sediment depth and is refilled by a sedimentary facies succession of shoreface, tidal and open-shelf deposits. This succession has formed during temporary lower sea levels along the last overall regression (MIS-4 and MIS-3), the Last Glacial Maximum, and during the past deglacial sea-level rise. Significant sediment deposition and preservation is limited to very restricted areas. Concerning the overall shelf architecture, sea level was the main factor enabling or suppressing deposition in terms of 1) creating local erosional swales which have favored subsequent trapping and preservation of sediments; 2) determining the type of sedimentary facies refilling these depressions under a variety of nearshore conditions; 3) interacting with the seafloor morphology and, by this, controlling timing of initiation and growth geometry of mud wedges. These mud wedges have formed since ca. 9 cal. ka under a continuous sedimentation regime. These bodies must have formed in hydraulic equilibrium but they are detached from a defined sediment point source which is in contrast to common mudbelt formation on shelves. In general, sediment storage on shelves under hyperarid conditions seems to be very limited due to comparably low sediment input, strong ravinement activity during changing sea levels, significant bypassing and winnowing processes, and a low preservation potential of the non-cohesive materials. These conditions lead to the development of almost sediment-starved systems with low subsidence rates over longer geological timescales.

The continental margin off the La Plata Estuary (SE South America) is characterized by high fluvial sediment supply and strong ocean currents. High-resolution sediment-acoustic data combined with sedimentary facies analysis, AMS-14C ages, and neodymium isotopic data allowed us to reconstruct late Quaternary sedimentary dynamics in relation to the two major sediment sources, the La Plata Estuary and the Argentine margin. Sediments from these two provinces show completely different dispersal patterns. We show that the northward-trending La Plata paleo-valley was the sole transit path for the huge volumes of fluvial material during lower sea levels. In contrast, material from the Argentine margin sector was transported northwards by the strong current system. Despite the large sediment volumes supplied by both sources, wide parts of the shelf were characterized by either persistent non-deposition or local short-term depocenter formation. The location and formation history of these depocenters were primarily controlled by the interplay of sea level with current strength and local morphology. The high sediment supply was of secondary importance to the stratigraphic construction, though locally resulting in high sedimentation rates. Thus, the shelf system off the La Plata Estuary can be considered as a hydrodynamic-controlled end-member.