Which oxygen isotope is more abundant in ocean sediments during warm interglacial times?

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Multiple Choice

Which oxygen isotope is more abundant in ocean sediments during warm interglacial times?

Explanation:
Oxygen isotope ratios in marine sediments track the amount of water stored in ice on land and the resulting isotopic composition of seawater. Ice sheets preferentially take up the lighter isotope, 16O, so when ice volume is large (glacial periods), seawater becomes relatively enriched in the heavier 18O. In warm interglacial times, ice melts and releases more 16O back into the ocean, lowering the seawater’s 18O content. The carbonate shells that form in seawater then incorporate more 16O, so ocean sediments record a higher abundance of the light isotope during these warm periods.

Oxygen isotope ratios in marine sediments track the amount of water stored in ice on land and the resulting isotopic composition of seawater. Ice sheets preferentially take up the lighter isotope, 16O, so when ice volume is large (glacial periods), seawater becomes relatively enriched in the heavier 18O. In warm interglacial times, ice melts and releases more 16O back into the ocean, lowering the seawater’s 18O content. The carbonate shells that form in seawater then incorporate more 16O, so ocean sediments record a higher abundance of the light isotope during these warm periods.

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