Geochemical implications for changing dust supply by the Indian Monsoon system to the Arabian Sea during the last glacial cycle

Element concentrations of 43 elements as well as inorganic and organic carbon content of sediment core 70KL from the western Arabian Sea were measured with high (1 cm) sample resolution. Principal components of the sediment’s chemical composition were determined with the help of statistical principle component analysis. These components are representing the major environmental factors at the site. The most important processes controlling the observed variations are the changing lithogenic influx derived from the major wind systems of the region (i.e., the Arabian northwesterly winds, the northeast winter monsoon and the southwest summer monsoon), summer monsoon associated upwelling and biog…