A foraminiferal δ¹⁸O record covering the last 2,200 years

Thanks to the precise core dating and the high sedimentation rate of the drilling site (Gallipoli Terrace, Ionian Sea) we were able to measure a foraminiferal δ¹⁸O series covering the last 2,200 years with a time resolution shorter than 4 years. In order to support the quality of this data-set we link the δ¹⁸O values measured in the foraminifera shells to temperature and salinity measurements available for the last thirty years covered by the core. Moreover, we describe in detail the dating procedures based on the presence of volcanic markers along the core and on the measurement of 210 Pb and 137 Cs activity in the most recent sediment layers. The high time resolution allows for detecting a δ¹⁸O decennial-scale oscillation, together with centennial and multicentennial components. Due to the dependence of foraminiferal δ¹⁸O on environmental conditions, these oscillations can provide information about temperature and salinity variations in past millennia. The strategic location of the drilling area makes this record a unique tool for climate and oceanographic studies of the Central Mediterranean.