Comparing paleo-oxygenation proxies (benthic foraminiferal surface porosity, I/Ca, authigenic uranium) on modern sediments and the glacial Arabian Sea

Oceanic oxygen reconstructions of the last glacial period are needed to understand the mechanisms of glacial deep ocean carbon storage and to validate climate model simulations. However, existing bottom-water oxygen (BWO) reconstructions are ambiguous due to limitations of each paleo-BWO proxy. Here we present data on three proxies for BWO: benthic foraminiferal surface porosity, benthic foraminiferal iodine/calcium (I/Ca), and authigenic uranium (aU), from globally distributed core-top samples, and we evaluate the potential advantages and limitations of these BWO proxies on global and regional scales. All three proxies are most sensitive to changes at relatively low BWO concentrations (

Automated summary

Oceanic oxygen reconstructions of the last glacial period are crucial for understanding deep ocean carbon storage and validating climate model simulations. Existing reconstructions of bottom-water oxygen (BWO) are ambiguous, and we propose and evaluate three new proxies for BWO.