Global Ocean Sediment Trap Calibration of Mg/Ca Ratios

NOAA NCEI provides a paleoceanography dataset for calibrating magnesium-to-calcium ratios in the planktonic foraminifera Globigerinoides ruber white. Data includes associated temperature, salinity, and carbonate system parameters from global ocean sediment traps. The temporal coverage spans from 56 to 28 calendar years before present.

Use Cases

• Calibrating Mg/Ca ratios from G. ruber white shells to reconstruct past sea surface temperatures.
• Analyzing the relationship between Mg/Ca values and associated salinity measurements.
• Investigating correlations between the Mg/Ca proxy and carbonate system parameters like pH or dissolved inorganic carbon.
• Validating sediment trap-derived geochemical proxies against modern oceanographic conditions.

Strengths

• Global Ocean geographic coverage provides wide spatial representation.
• Includes multiple correlated parameters (temperature, salinity, carbonate system) for multivariate analysis.
• Data is archived and curated by NOAA NCEI, a authoritative environmental data center.

Limitations

• Unknown row count and sample size limit statistical confidence.
• Temporal coverage is limited to a specific pre-industrial period (56-28 years BP).
• Data last updated in 2006, potentially lacking modern methodological refinements.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Collection Method

Data collected from global ocean sediment traps.

Time Range

56 to 28 calendar years before present.

Freshness

null

Geography

Global Ocean.