Claude Hillaire‐Marcel

Limited constraints on the variability of the deep‐water production in the Labrador Sea complicate reconstructions of the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) during the Late Quaternary. Large volumes of detrital carbonates were repeatedly deposited in the Labrador Sea during the last 32 kyr, potentially affecting radiogenic Nd isotope signatures. To investigate this the Nd isotope compositions of deep and intermediate waters were extracted from the authigenic Fe‐Mn oxyhydroxide fraction, foraminiferal coatings, the residual silicates and leachates of dolostone grains. We provide a first order estimation of Nd release via dissolution of detrital carbonates and its contribution to the authigenic ԑ Nd signatures in the Labrador Sea. During the Last Glacial Maximum the Nd isotope signatures in the Labrador Sea would allow active water mass mixing with more radiogenic ɛ Nd values (−12.6 and −14) prevailing in its eastern part whereas less radiogenic values (ɛ Nd ∼ −18.4) were found on the western Labrador slope. The deposition of detrital carbonates during Heinrich stadials (2,1) was accompanied by negative detrital and authigenic Nd isotope excursions (ɛ Nd ∼ −31) that were likely controlled by dissolution of dolostone or dolostone associated mineral inclusions. This highly unradiogenic signal dominated the authigenic phases and individual water masses in the Labrador Sea, serving as potential source of highly unradiogenic Nd to the North Atlantic region, while exported southward. The Holocene authigenic ɛ Nd signatures of the coatings and leachates significantly differed from those of the detrital silicates, approaching modern bottom water mass signatures during the Late Holocene.