U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2164
Version 1.0

Distribution of Benthic Foraminifers (>125 mum) in the Surface Sediments of the Arctic Ocean

By Lisa E. Osterman, Richard Z. Poore, and Kevin M. Foley

At present, our understanding of the Arctic Ocean lags behind our understanding of other oceans, and fundamental questions still exist about its role in and response to global climate change. The Arctic Ocean is particularly sensitive to climatic fluctuations because small changes in the amounts of sea-ice cover can alter global albedo and thermohaline questions still exist regarding the nature and timing of paleoclimatic events in the Arctic Ocean. In order to attempt to answer some of these questions, baseline studies are imperative. This report discusses the distribution of benthic foraminifers in surface sediment samples from 49 box cores collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) with the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). A modern data set of benthic foraminiferal distribution is necessary for interpreting the paleoclimatic and oceanographic history of the Arctic Ocean.


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U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey

This page is <URL: https://pubs.usgs.gov/bulletin/b2164/>
Maintained by: Eastern Publications Group Web Team
Last modified 22 September 1999

For more information about this report contact Lisa E. Osterman at osterman@usgs.gov