Benthic foraminifera cadmium record from the western equatorial Pacific

The following equations are proposed for the cadmium distribution coefficient between sea water and foraminifera (D∗) in the Pacific, Antarctic, and Indian Oceans: [1000 m depth ∗ = 1.3 + ( depth − 1000)(1.0/3000) [4000 m depth ] D ∗ = 2.3 . These are slightly lower than the distribution coemcient in the Atlantic. We also propose the 13C distribution coefficients in the Atlantic and other oceans to be 0.99995 and 1.00015, respectively. If these new distribution coefficients are adopted for previously analyzed data (Boyle, 1992), these two tracers corroborate the theory that glacial deep water (water depths between 2000 and 4000 m) was more nutrient-rich than today. We also provide benthic foraminifera Cd Ca records for several sediment cores recovered from the western equatorial Pacific. They suggest that deep water (water depth of 2500 m) cadmium concentration in the glacial Pacific was 30% higher than that of the present-day and that it fluctuated strongly during the period of deglaciation.