Particle size distribution of MIS 5a aeolianites across windward islands of the Bahamas (Great Abaco, Eleuthera, San Salvador, and Long Island) (ver. 1.1, May 2025)

Recent Quaternary carbonate island sediment preservation along low-latitude coastal regions, such as in the Bahamas, contain sediment sourced from adjacent marine environments during interglacial intervals. During these interglacial intervals, denoted by odd-numbered Marine Isotope Stages (e.g., MIS 1, 3, 5), sea levels are at a highstand relative to glacial periods (e.g., MIS 2, 4, 6). Samples analyzed in this study focused on deposition following the Last Interglacial (LIG) highstand, particularly the relatively less-understood MIS 5a, defined in this region as the Whale Point Formation (WPF) (Kindler and Hearty, 2022).

Here, we present laser diffraction particle size analyses (PSA) from a Beckman Coulter LS 13 320 XR instrument located in the Bascom Laser Diffraction Sedimentology Laboratory in Reston, VA. The PSA data represent aeolianites from the windward coastlines of Great Abaco, Eleuthera, San Salvador, and Long Island from MIS 5 and MIS 1. The overall distributions are unimodal, however, for Eleuthera, distinct bimodal distributions were observed.

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Reference: Kindler, P., & Hearty, P. J., 2022, The Whale Point Formation: A stratigraphic record of high-frequency climate and sea-level fluctuations in the Bahamas during Marine Isotope Stage 5a (ca. 80 ka BP). Sedimentary Geology, vol. 432, pp. 106-107, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2022.106107

This Data Release was revised to v1.1 in May 2025 to include updated statistics data for laser diffractometry results contained therein. No other changes to the data release were made for v1.1.

First release: 2024
Revised: May 2025 (ver. 1.1)