Geochemical studies of surface sediment samples off North-West Africa

This geochemical multi-tracer approach, coupled with additional information on the bulk carbonate and TOC contents makes it possible to characterise the sedimentological regime in detail.

Typical terrigenous elements like Al, K and Fe mirror the importance of the humid (fluvial) influence in the north of the study area and the dominance of aeolian input in the south. Furthermore, the distributions of Ti and Fe in the surface sediments serve as tracers for the supply of eolian volcanic material from the Canary Islands. The spatial variability of the TOC contents in the surface sediments closely follows the ocean surface productivity patterns, whereas the CaCO3 contents are mainly controlled by dilution with terrigenous matter.