Resolving the ‘opal paradox’ in the Southern Ocean

摘要: In the Southern Ocean, high accumulation rates of opal—which forms by precipitation from silica-bearing solutions—have been found in sediment spite low production biogenic silica and carbon overlying surface waters. This so-called ‘opal paradox’ is generally attributed to a higher efficiency opal preservation Ocean than elsewhere1,2. Here we report rates, rain water column burial for Indian sector which show that assumed paradox result underestimated overestimated rates. Our data thus demonstrate overall this region substantially lower previously thought2, it lies within factor two global mean3. The comparison our revised efficiencies with existing values equatorial Pacific North Atlantic shows spatial differences are not primary reason sedimentary accumulation. reconciliation may enable use reconstruction palaeoproductivity when factors affect Si/C ratio better understood.