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Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility data obtained from discrete sub-samples recovered from two Integrated Ocean Drilling Program sites (Expedition 347 sites M0061 and M0062 in the Baltic Sea) by an Advanced Piston Corer are compared to results obtained on sub-samples recovered by replicate 6 m long Kullenberg piston cores. Characteristic natural remanence directions were obtained from the total of 1097 sub-samples using principal component analyses. The three principal anisotropy axes of sub-samples taken from Advanced Piston Core liners align to the sub-sample axes, with the maximum axis (K1) parallel to the split core surfaces, possibly caused by outwards relaxation of the core-liners after splitting. A second anomalous anisotropy fabric is characterized by steep values of the angular difference between the inclination of the minimum anisotropy axes (K3) and that expected for horizontal bedding (90°). This fabric is confined to the upper 1–2 m of the Kullenberg cores and specific sections of the advanced piston cores, and we attribute it to conical deformation caused by either excessive penetration speeds and downwards dragging of sediment along the edge of the liner or stretching caused by undersampling. By using our data in an example, we present a protocol to accept palaeomagnetic secular variation data that uses (i) a threshold 90-K3 value of 15°, combined with a modelled, locally applicable minimum inclination of 65° and (ii) an A95 cone of confidence based on Fisher statistics applied to virtual geomagnetic pole distributions.

The Yermak Plateau is located north of Svalbard at the entrance to the Arctic Ocean, i.e. in an area highly sensitive to climate change. A multi proxy approach was carried out on Core PS92/039-2 to study glacial-interglacial environmental changes at the northern Barents Sea margin during the last 160 ka. The main emphasis was on the reconstruction of sea ice cover, based on the sea ice proxy IP25 and the related phytoplankton - sea ice index PIP25. Sea ice was present most of the time but showed significant temporal variability decisively affected by movements of the Svalbard Barents Sea Ice Sheet. For the first time, we prove the occurrence of seasonal sea ice at the eastern Yermak Plateau during glacial intervals, probably steered by a major northward advance of the ice sheet and the formation of a coastal polynya in front of it. Maximum accumulation of terrigenous organic carbon, IP25 and the phytoplankton biomarkers (brassicasterol, dinosterol, HBI III) can be correlated to distinct deglaciation events. More severe, but variable sea ice cover prevailed at the Yermak Plateau during interglacials. The general proximity to the sea ice margin is further indicated by biomarker (GDGT) - based sea surface temperatures below 2.5 °C.