Monsoon variability during Mid Pliocene Warm Period: Evidence from oceanic denitrification at eastern Arabian Sea

The variability of the South Asian Monsoon (SoAM) in warmer climatic conditions is not established yet. The Mid-Pliocene Warm Period (MPWP, 3.264 to 3.025 ma) is the most recent such event when the boundary conditions were similar to present with similar CO₂ concentration (more than 400 ppmv) and temperature (2-3°C higher than present). It presents the best analogue for understanding the impacts of future global warming on SoAM. The high-resolution study of denitrification from the eastern Arabian Sea can provide an insight into the SoAM variability during MPWP. Denitrification is the process by which nitrate is reduced to nitrogen gas (N₂ or N₂O) during organic matter decay in oxygen minima zones in the water column. The denitrification process enriches the nitrate pool with ¹⁵N, which is incorporated in the particulate organic matter. Denitrification is governed by the surface water productivity related to SoAM strength and the water column ventilation. We analyzed the nitrogen isotopic ratio of sedimentary organic matter (SOM, δ¹⁵N_SOM) to examine the denitrification in the eastern Arabian Sea. Total nitrogen (TN %) and total organic carbon (TOC%) are used to estimate the surface water productivity from the sediment collected during expedition IODP 355, Hole U1456A. We find that the δ¹⁵N_SOM values vary between 7-9 ‰ during 3.22-3.15 Ma and 2.9-2.75 Ma indicating high denitrification. High δ¹⁵N_SOM values coincide with high productivity as shown by both TN and TOC. It shows two major periods in the late Pliocene (3.22-3.15 Ma and 2.92-2.75 Ma) associated with stronger denitrification and high productivity. These results indicate the intensification of SoAM during warmer periods of Late Pliocene and at the start of intensification of Northern hemisphere glaciation. The enhanced denitrification during this period could possibly be due to a reduction in deep water ventilation and monsoon driven upsurge in productivity.