oa Organic Matter Input to Marine Sediments off East Antarctica

To investigate the organic matter input to the East Antarctic sea floor during marine isotopic stages (MIS) 1 to 3, twenty samples from two kasten cores, KC02 (0–230 cm) and KC04 (0–245 cm) from the continental slope close to the Sabrina Coast were studied for their organic geochemical characteristics. The aliphatic and aromatic compounds all indicate a strong terrigenous organic matter input with a minor marine algal contribution. The transportation of organic matter by glaciers from the Antarctic land-mass and dust deposition could be possible explanations for such a significant terrigenous and allochthonous input.