Evolution of contourite-drift deposits in the late Quaternary and their interaction with water masses in the Santos basin, Southwestern Atlantic.

• Grant number: 16/03381-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2016
• End date: December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Geological Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Silvia Helena de Mello e Sousa
• Grantee: Silvia Helena de Mello e Sousa
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Adriana Rodrigues Perretti ; Christian Millo ; Cintia Yamashita ; Francisco José Lobo Sánchez ; Isabel Montoya Montes ; Laetitia Licari ; Márcia Caruso Bícego ; Michel Michaelovitch de Mahiques ; Renata Hanae Nagai ; Rubens Cesar Lopes Figueira

Abstract

The main objective of the proposal is to understand the evolution of contourite-drift deposits in the Santos Basin, Brazilian southern margin during the last glacial cycle. The project also aims to evaluate the relationship of these deposits to the Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) and the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), seeking to recognize the bottom currents speeds and oceanic productivity changes during different climatic phases, as well as the capacity of preserve of organic matter in sediments slope under AAIW and NADW. For this, multiproxies analysis will be applied: sedimentological (particle size, description of sedimentary facies), geochemical (metals and semi-metals concentrations, composition and carbon and nitrogen isotopes of organic matter; d18O and d13C stable isotopes in calcareous shells of benthic foraminifera), and benthic foraminifera assemblages analyses. The material to be analyzed consists of cores to be collected at stations, which were chosen based on analysis of seismic sections, obtained in Santos Basin, in the project "Geodynamics of Sedimentary Basins and implications for the exploration potential (oil, natural gas and groundwater) - GEOSEDex, funded by the Research Support Center of the University of São Paulo - NAP / USP. (AU)