Age, pteropoda counts and Limacina dissolution index of sediment core NIOP-C2_905_BC

In order to better understand Late Quaternary pelagic aragonite preservation in the western Arabian Sea we have investigated a high-resolution sediment core 905 off Somalia. Pteropod preservation is enhanced in times of reduced monsoon-driven productivity, indicated by low amounts of Corg and low barium to aluminium (Ba/Al) ratios. All periods corresponding to Heinrich events in the North Atlantic are represented by maxima in shell preservation of the common pteropod Limacina inflata (LDX values <2, except for H5-equivalent with a poorer shell preservation, LDX >2.66). Good shell preservation is also found during stadials at 52.1-53.2, 36, 33.2, and 31.9 ka. Relative abundance of pteropods and their fragments in the coarse fraction reaches maxima during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5.2, during time-equivalents of Heinrich events 4-6 and in stadials at not, vert, similar 53, not, vert, similar 42.5, and 41.4 ka.