The Holocene sedimentation in the North Antarctic peninsula area based on fossil diatoms

This paper is devoted to investigation of surface marine deposits of Core K98-09 which located in Drake Passage at a west of Elephant Island, Antarctic Peninsula. The research is aimed at studying the Holocene depositional environments based on diatom analysis. To study the fossil diatom assemblages, the material was treated in accordance with standard techniques. The research of the Holocene transformation of marine sedimentation conditions near Antarctic Peninsula is important owing to the rapid Late Quaternary climate changes. Due to the taxonomic composition and ecological structure of diatom assemblages the age of core deposits accumulation was determined as the Late Holocene (not early 2,400 yr), neoglacial stage. On the base of the species composition the core deposits were divided into two intervals. In the lower interval (18-45 sm) the dominance of cold-water and sea-ice diatoms is an indicator of the sea-ice environments. In the upper one (0-18 sm) the oceanic species prevalence that indicates the completele open-water environments with the warmer surface sea water. Our scientific research into the Holocene sedimentation conditions has enhanced the understanding of the Late Quaternary Antarctic palaeoclimate variables.