Influence of diagenesis on sedimentary δ15N in the Arabian Sea over the last 130 kyr

Sedimentary δ15N records are valuable archives of ocean history but they are often modified during early diagenesis. Here we quantify the effect of early diagenetic enrichment on sedimentary N-isotope composition in order to obtain the pristine signal of reactive N assimilated in the euphotic zone. This is possible by using paired data of δ15N and amino acid composition of sediment samples, which can be applied to estimate the degree of organic matter degradation. We determined δ15N and amino acid composition in coeval sediments from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Hole 772 B in the central Arabian Sea and from Hole 724 C situated on the Oman Margin in the western Arabian Sea coastal upwelling area. The records span the last 130 kyr and include two glacial–interglacial cycles. These new data are used in conjunction with data available for surface sediments that cover a wide range of organic matter degradation states, and with other cores from the northern and eastern Arabian Sea to explore spatial variations in the isotopic signal. In order to reconstruct pristine N values we apply the relationship between organic matter degradation and 15N enrichment in surface sediments to correct the core records for early diagenetic enrichment. Reconstructed δ15N values suggest a significant role of N2-fixation during glacial stages. An evaluation of two preservation indices based on amino acid composition (Reactivity Index, RI; Jennerjahn and Ittekkot, 1997; and the Degradation Index, DI; Dauwe et al., 1999) in both recent sediments and core samples suggests that the RI is more suitable than the DI in correcting Arabian Sea δ15N records for early diagenetic enrichment.

► We reconstruct pristine δ15N records for Arabian Sea sediment cores.
► Early diagenetic enrichment is corrected by OM quality.
► Amino acid indices mirror OM quality.
► Reconstructed records suggest N2 fixation.
► The RI is more suitable than the DI in this study.