| Abstract |
Marine muds deposited on the French Guiana coast mostly originate in the Amazon. Recent sediments are composed of (a) illite (33 %) and chlorite (13 %) of Andean mountain origin; and (b) kaolinite (28 %) and smectite (26 %), principally from the Amazonian lowlands but also from the Guiana Shield. In the coastal mud prism, high-resolution seismic profiles, together with sedimentological, micropaleontological and soil engineering studies, supplemented by C-14 dates, permitted a stratigraphic interpretation of eight cores. Three episodes have been determined on the basis of clay-mineral variations related to Amazonian lowland, Andean and Guiana shield sources. The older episodes 3 (3000-1700 y BP) and 2 (1700-1000 y BP) are predominantly characterized by lowland-derived clays (smectite = 43 %, kaolinite = 26 %) from Amazonian and local sources. The most important event is a reduction of the Andean source, due to successive dry phases which occurred in western Amazonia about 2200 and 1200 y BP, confirming that regional decreases in rainfall, water discharge and erosion were associated with climatic fluctuations. It is suggested that these dry phases (within the last 3000 years) are the consequence of several protracted (10-100 years) periods, during which atmospheric conditions mimicked the present-day ''El Nino Southern Oscillation'' (ENSO) phenomenon. As a result, particulate flux from the ocean decreased, leading to reduced silting of the Guiana coast, In the past 1000 years (episode 1), illite and chlorite have increased, indicating a stronger Andean contribution to the Amazonian continental flux that reaches the ocean. This is the first demonstration that the nature of the coastal marine muds of northern South America reflects climatic changes in the Amazon basin. |
