RAPID CLIMATIC SHIFTS OF THE NORTHERN NORWEGIAN SEA DURING THE LAST DEGLACIATION AND THE HOLOCENE

High resolution cores from the upper continental slope, northern Norwe gian Sea, document rapid climatic fluctuations during the latest degla ciation and the Holocene. Based on down-core analysis of planktic and benthic foraminifera, stable oxygen and carbon isotopes, carbonate and organic carbon and radiocarbon dating, the following evolution is pro posed: sea-ice cover broke up, the surface ocean warmed and an in situ benthic foraminiferal fauna was established at 12 500 BP. The Younger Dryas was characterized by reduced sedimentaion and foraminiferal pro duction, due to surface ocean cooling. At the end of the Younger Dryas there were major shifts in both surface and bottom water conditions. The surface ocean warmed to temperatures similar to modern levels with in <100 years, reaching a maximum at about 9200 BP when foraminiferal production was high. A benthic foraminiferal assemblage indicative of bottom water conditions similar to present conditions was established at 10 000 BP. This was followed by a gradual decline in nutrients or a n increase in ventilation of the bottom water throughout the Holocene. A gradual surface ocean cooling of c. 2 degrees C ended around 6500 B P followed by a second warming that culminated at 2000 BP. The warming at the end of the Younger Dryas and the succeeding older Holocene tem perature maximum correlate to a June insolation maximum in the norther n hemisphere. In addition, fluctuating surface temperatures in the Hol ocene may be driven by variations in inflow of Atlantic Water.