Gasometric determination of the carbonate fraction from generally continuous intervals of cores from the Canada basin and Alpha Cordillera reveal as many as 18 significant fluctuations during the past 3 m.y. The duration and number of these cyclic carbonate fluctuations are very similar to those reported from the equatorial Pacific. However, carbonate peaks in the Arctic sediment cores do not correlate with faunal increases as they do in the Pacific. Poor correlation between carbonate peaks and organic carbon content also suggests that these peaks are not caused by increases in organic productivity. Examination of the coarser fraction associated with the carbonate layers indicates that detrital calcite and dolomite are present. One possible explanation for the increase of detrital carbonate during the Pleistocene could be periodic lowering of sea level which would expose carbonate outcrops of the continental shelf to ice plucking. If so, such events may be correlated with Pleistocene events elsewhere.

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