Stable isotope record, calcium carbonate conentrations, and sea surface temperture reconstructions of sediment cores from the North Atlantic

Each record is a multicore composite verified for continuity by splicing among multiple holes. These climatic indices portray changes in northern hemisphere ice sheet size and in North Atlantic surface and deep circulation.

By tuning obliquity and precession components in the delta18O record to orbital variations, we have devised a time scale (TP607) for the entire Pleistocene that agrees in age with all K/Ar-dated magnetic reversals to within 1.5%. The Brunhes time scale is taken from Imbrie et al. [1984], except for differences near the stage 17/16 transition (0.70 to 0.64 Ma). All indicators show a similar evolution from the Matuyama to the Brunhes chrons: orbital eccentricity and precession responses increased in amplitude; those at orbital obliquity decreased.