Shelf Waves in the Beaufort Sea in a High-Resolution Ocean Model

Oceanology - The article examines low-frequency oscillations of sea level over the Beaufort Sea shelf simulated in a high-resolution regional configuration of the Massachusetts Institute of...     

350ka以来北冰洋波弗特环流演变及其沉积响应

波弗特环流(Beaufort Gyre)是 决定北冰洋海冰运移方向和滞留时间的主要因素。依据沉积物的颜色旋回、Mn元素含量和有孔虫丰度,本文建立了阿尔法洋脊(Alpha Ridge)B85-D孔轨道尺度上的年龄框架,并深入分析了该孔晚第四纪以来冰筏碎屑(IRD>154 μm)含量、组分及其源区的变化特点。结果表明,350ka以来最显著的变化发生在末次冰期(MIS2~4期),期间沉积物中Ca元素和白云石含量都接近于零,大部分来自班克斯岛、维多利亚岛和麦肯齐地区的碳酸盐岩碎屑没有在阿尔法洋脊沉积;随着波弗特环流的消亡,搬运陆源碎屑的海冰很可能沿着北美海岸线直接进入了欧亚海盆。而在末次间冰期(MIS5期),波弗特环流却十分流畅,并将大量碳酸盐岩碎屑限制在美亚海盆内,导致阿尔法洋脊沉积物中Ca元素含量急剧升高,与之对应的白云石含量高达16.4%。通过类比可知,在MIS6期波弗特环流的状态可能与MIS2~4期相似,而在MIS8和MIS10这两大冰期,波弗特环流却类似于MIS5期。显然,波弗特环流的存在与否并不严格遵循“冰期-间冰期”旋回,这种变化很可能是风场强度和海冰浓度双重作用的结果。     

Rapid removal of terrigenous dissolved organic carbon over the Eurasian shelves of the Arctic Ocean

The fate of terrigenous dissolved organic carbon (tDOC) delivered to the Arctic Ocean by rivers remains poorly constrained on both spatial and temporal scales. Early reports suggested Arctic tDOC was refractory to degradation, while recent studies have shown tDOC removal to be an active but slow process. Here we present observations of DOC, salinity, δ¹⁸O, and ²²⁸Ra/²²⁶Ra in the Polar Surface Layer (PSL) over the outer East Siberian/Chukchi shelf and the adjacent Makarov and Eurasian basins of the eastern Arctic Ocean. This off-shelf system receives meteoric water, introduced by rivers, after a few years residence on the shelf. Elevated concentrations of DOC (> 120 μM C) were observed in low salinity (~ 27) water over the Makarov Basin, suggesting inputs of tDOC-enriched river water to the source waters of the Transpolar Drift. The regression of DOC against salinity indicated an apparent tDOC concentration of 315 ± 7 μM C in the river water fraction, which is significantly lower than the estimated DOC concentration in the riverine sources to the region (724 ± 55 μM C). To obtain the timescale of removal, estimates of shelf residence were coupled with measurements of dissolved ²²⁸Ra/²²⁶Ra, an isotopic tracer of time since shelf residence. Shelf residence time coupled with DOC distributions indicates a first order tDOC removal rate constant, λ = 0.24 ± 0.07 yr^-1, for the eastern Arctic, 2.5–4 times higher than rates previously observed in the western Arctic. The observed removal of tDOC in the eastern Arctic occurs over the expansive shelf area, highlighting the initial lability of tDOC upon delivery to the Arctic Ocean, and suggests that tDOC is composed of multiple compartments defined by reactivity. The relatively rapid remineralization of tDOC on the shelves may mitigate the strength of the Arctic Ocean atmospheric CO₂ sink if a projected increase in labile tDOC flux occurs.     

Phytoplankton community adaptation to changing light levels in the southern Beaufort Sea,Canadian Arctic

The chlorophyll a specific absorption coefficient of phytoplankton, a_φ^∗(λ) is an important parameter to determine for primary production models and for the estimation of phytoplankton physiological condition. Knowledge of this parameter at high latitudes where nutrient rich cold water submitted to low incident light is a common environment is almost nonexistent. To address this issue, we investigated the light absorption properties of phytoplankton as a function of irradiance, temperature, and nutrients using a large data set in the southern Beaufort Sea during the open water to ice cover transition period. The a_φ^∗(λ) tended to increase from autumn when open water still existed to early winter when sea ice cover was formed, resulting from a biological selection of smaller-size phytoplankton more efficient to absorb light. There was no significant correlation between a_φ^∗(λ) and irradiance or temperature for both seasons. However, a_φ^∗(λ) showed a significant positive correlation with NO₃ + NO₂. Implications of the results for phytoplankton community adaptation to changing light levels are discussed.     

Evidence for gas hydrate occurrences in the Canadian Arctic Beaufort Sea within permafrost-associated shelf and deep-water marine environments

The presence of a wedge of offshore permafrost on the shelf of the Canadian Beaufort Sea has been previously recognized and the consequence of a prolonged occurrence of such permafrost is the possibility of an underlying gas hydrate regime. We present the first evidence for wide-spread occurrences of gas hydrates across the shelf in water depths of 60–100 m using 3D and 2D multichannel seismic (MCS) data. A reflection with a polarity opposite to the seafloor was identified ∼1000 m below the seafloor that mimics some of the bottom-simulating reflections (BSRs) in marine gas hydrate regimes. However, the reflection is not truly bottom-simulating, as its depth is controlled by offshore permafrost. The depth of the reflection decreases with increasing water depth, as predicted from thermal modeling of the late Wisconsin transgression. The reflection crosscuts strata and defines a zone of enhanced reflectivity beneath it, which originates from free gas accumulated at the phase boundary over time as permafrost and associated gas hydrate stability zones thin in response to the transgression. The wide-spread gas hydrate occurrence beneath permafrost has implications on the region including drilling hazards associated with the presence of free gas, possible overpressure, lateral migration of fluids and expulsion at the seafloor. In contrast to the permafrost-associated gas hydrates, a deep-water marine BSR was also identified on MCS profiles. The MCS data show a polarity-reversed seismic reflection associated with a low-velocity zone beneath it. The seismic data coverage in the southern Beaufort Sea shows that the deep-water marine BSR is not uniformly present across the entire region. The regional discrepancy of the BSR occurrence between the US Alaska portion and the Mackenzie Delta region may be a result of high sedimentation rates expected for the central Mackenzie delta and high abundance of mass-transport deposits that prohibit gas to accumulate within and beneath the gas hydrate stability zone.     

Kinematic model of the opening of the Canadian Basin, Arctic Ocean

The initial configuration of the Arctida Craton was reconstructed from a complex geological-geophysical analysis of the anomalous magnetic field of the Canadian Basin in the Arctic Ocean. The modern version of the bottom geochronology indicates that the first stage of the formation of the Canadian Basin in the Arctic Ocean was related to extension and rifting in the Arctida Craton in the Kimmeridgian. The transformation of rifting into spreading presumably occurred during chron M22Ar (151 Ma). The second stage was related to the opening of the Canadian Basin within chrons M22Ar-M19 (151–145 Ma). The next stage of the opening of the basin was marked by a 100-km jump of the spreading axis to the east. This stage ended after chron M5 (130 Ma ago). At the fourth (Late Cretaceous) stage, extension spanned the Southern Canadian Basin with the formation of large igneous province.     

Late Holocene paleoceanography and climate variability over the Mackenzie Slope (Beaufort Sea,Canadian Arctic)

Late Holocene paleoceanography and climate variability of the Southeastern Beaufort Sea (Canadian Arctic) have been investigated on the basis of sedimentary cores collected over the Mackenzie Slope. Piston, trigger and box cores were sampled at station 803 in 2004 aboard the CCGS Amundsen at 218 m water depth. The chronology of the piston core is constrained by 4 AMS-¹⁴C dates, as the sedimentation rate in the box core is assessed from ²¹⁰Pb data. We obtain a continuous composite sequence covering the last 4600 years, with a sedimentation rate of ~ 140 cm.kyr^? 1. Transfer functions (modern analogue technique) based on dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst) assemblages were used to reconstruct the evolution of sea-surface conditions over the time period covered by the cores.Palynological data reveal that dinocyst assemblages are dominated by Operculodinium centrocarpum sensu lato (mean of 43.3%) throughout the core, with the accompanying taxa Brigantedinium spp. (19.6%), Islandinium minutum (15.6%) and cysts of Pentapharsodinium dalei (13.7%). Four zones have been established on the basis of dinocyst relative abundances. Dinocyst assemblage zone 1 (D1), from 4600 to 2700 cal years BP, is dominated by O. centrocarpum (mean of 49.0%). In zone D2 (2700–1500 cal years BP), the relative abundances of O. centrocarpum decrease (34.4%) in favour of the opportunistic, heterotrophic taxa Brigantedinium spp. (28.8%) and cysts of Polykrikos sp. var. arctic/quadratus (2.8%). Dinocyst zone D3 (1500–30 cal years BP or 450–1920 AD) is characterised by the high relative abundance of the peridinioid taxa I. minutum (19.9%). The last zone (D4), spanning from 1920 to 2004 AD, is again dominated by O. centrocarpum (44.5%), and shows low relative abundances of Brigantedinium spp. and cf. Echinidinium karaense.Quantitative reconstructions of past sea-surface parameters (August sea-surface temperature: SST, August sea-surface salinity: SSS, and duration of sea-ice cover) indicate relatively stable conditions over the last 4.6 kyr, with episodic cooling events (SST of ~ 1.5 °C below the modern value of 6 °C) that took place between 700 and 1820 AD. We associate the last and the longest of these cooling events (1560–1820 AD) with the Little Ice Age. Reconstructed SSS shows decadal oscillations since 1920 AD that we tentatively associate with the accumulation of freshwater by the Beaufort Gyre and the subsequent Great Salinity Anomalies. Our data suggest that similar salinity anomalies could have occurred ca. 1860 and 1790 AD.Stable isotopic data show a slight increase in δ¹³C values (from ~?27.1‰ at the base to ~?25.8‰ at the top) over the last 4.6 kyr that we associate with the gradual increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentration as recorded by Antarctic ice cores. Variations in the δ¹⁵N profile suggest variations in Pacific water influence from 4600 to ~ 1300 cal years BP, associated with centennial scale shifts of the Arctic Oscillation phases.     

The response of microbial communities to diverse organic matter sources in the Arctic Ocean

The response of Arctic microbial communities to a variety of natural organic matter substrates, including peat, ice algae and ice-rafted debris was examined using bacterial regrowth experiments and compared to unamended controls. Bacterial growth and production were followed together with the phylogenetic composition using length-heterogeneity polymerase chain reaction (LH-PCR), and 16S rRNA gene cloning and sequencing. Intact phospholipids (IPLs) and fatty acids evaluated the relationship between lipids and bacterial community structure and the impact of varied organic substrates on microbial lipid synthesis. Differential responses to organic matter sources were observed, with ice algae supporting both higher bacterial growth and production than terrestrial-derived peat. In spite of disparate growth kinetics, the community composition remained similar in all amended incubations as was confirmed by automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA). Gammaproteobacteria dominated the initial incubations, whereas in extended incubations with terrestrial peat Alphaproteobacteria dominated; in particular Sulfitobacter phylotypes closely related (>99%) to an Arctic sea-ice-associated member of the Roseobacter clade (ARK10278). Arctic bacterioplankton preferentially synthesized two phospholipids, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylglygerol (PG), with 18:0n, 18:1Δ11, 16:0n and 16:1Δ9 as the primary fatty acids. Overall, results show that organic matter source plays an important role in structuring bacterioplankton community composition, with similar IPL and fatty acid lipid distributions observed among phylogenetically distinct bacteria.     

Sources and transport of organic carbon to shelf,slope, and basin surface sediments of the Arctic Ocean

Lipids in surface sediment transects across the Arctic Ocean were identified to define the sources of organic carbon and the transport of material in the ocean basin. Sterols representing diatoms (24-methylcholesta-5,24(28)-dien-3β-ol, 24-methylcholesta-5,22-dien-3β-ol) and dinoflagellates (4α,23,24-trimethylcholest-22-en-3β-ol) together with algal polyunsaturated fatty acids (20:5, 22:6) demonstrated the importance of primary production to organic matter inputs on the Chukchi Shelf. The presence of terrestrial biomarkers including long-chain n-alkanes and mono- and dicarboxylic acids in shelf sediments indicated that while the fraction of terrestrial biomarkers was small compared to marine material, the transport of allochthonous material impacts carbon cycling on the shelf. Algal biomarkers were found in all surficial sediments from the central Arctic basins, demonstrating that some fraction of primary production reached bottom sediments despite ice cover and light limitation. Marine markers represented a small fraction of the total lipids in central basin sediments. This implies that the basins are less productive than shallow waters, significant degradation occurs before the organic matter reaches the sediment–water interface, and substantial amounts of vascular plant material are exported to the central Arctic. Circulation and topographical features, such as the Transpolar Drift and the Lomonosov Ridge, appear to have an important influence on the transport and focusing of terrestrial material in the Arctic Ocean basins.     

Flow of Canadian basin deep water in the Western Eurasian Basin of the Arctic Ocean

The LOMROG 2007 expedition targeted the previously unexplored southern part of the Lomonosov Ridge north of Greenland together with a section from the Morris Jesup Rise to Gakkel Ridge. The oceanographic data show that Canadian Basin Deep Water (CBDW) passes the Lomonosov Ridge in the area of the Intra Basin close to the North Pole and then continues along the ridge towards Greenland and further along its northernmost continental slope. The CBDW is clearly evident as a salinity maximum and oxygen minimum at a depth of about 2000 m. The cross-slope sections at the Amundsen Basin side of the Lomonosov Ridge and further south at the Morris Jesup Rise show a sharp frontal structure higher up in the water column between Makarov Basin water and Amundsen Basin water. The frontal structure continues upward into the Atlantic Water up to a depth of about 300 m. The observed water mass division at levels well above the ridge crest indicates a strong topographic steering of the flow and that different water masses tend to pass the ridge guided by ridge-crossing isobaths at local topographic heights and depressions. A rough scaling analysis shows that the extremely steep and sharply turning bathymetry of the Morris Jesup Rise may force the boundary current to separate and generate deep eddies.     

Biomarker records,organic carbon accumulation,and river discharge in the Holocene southern Kara Sea (Arctic Ocean)

Within the Russian–German research project on “Siberian River Run-off (SIRRO)” dealing with freshwater discharge and its influence on biological, geochemical, and geological processes in the Kara Sea, sedimentological and organic-geochemical investigations were carried out on two well-dated sediment cores from the Yenisei Estuary area. The main goal of this study was to quantify terrigenous organic carbon accumulation based on biomarker and bulk accumulation rate data, and its relationship to Yenisei river discharge and climate change through Holocene times. The biomarker data in both cores clearly indicate the predominance of terrigenous organic matter, reaching 70–100 and 50–80% of total organic carbon within and directly north of the estuary, respectively. During the last ca. 9 cal ka b.p. represented in the studied sediment section, siliciclastic sediment and (terrigenous) organic carbon input was strongly influenced by postglacial sea-level rise and climate-related changes in river discharge. The mid-Holocene Climatic Optimum is documented by maximum river discharge between 8.2 and 7.3 cal ka b.p. During the last 2,000 years, river discharge probably decreased, and accumulation of both terrigenous and marine organic carbon increased due to enhanced coagulation of fine-grained material.     

北冰洋楚科奇海陆架到陆坡表层沉积物有机碳载荷的变化

沉积物单位表面积上吸附的有机碳被广泛用于示踪有机碳载荷的变化。本文研究了北冰洋典型边缘海——楚科奇海表层沉积物的有机碳载荷。研究发现陆架区沉积物的有机碳载荷高于陆坡区。相比于已报道的东西伯利亚海和马更些河,楚科奇海陆坡区沉积物的有机碳载荷也较低。这种有机碳载荷的变化可能和陆坡区的初级生产力较低,以及沉积物在传输过程中经历的氧化降解有关。沉积物的有机碳含量和比表面积呈线性相关,在有机碳轴上有正截距,表明一部分有机碳来自于岩石的贡献。此外,陆架区低有机碳载荷的沉积物含有的岩石有机碳更高。本研究的数据有助于深刻理解楚科奇海区域的碳循环问题。     

Creep deformation of slope sediments in the Canadian Beaufort Sea

High resolution seismic profiles from the Canadian Beaufort Sea continental slope characteristically show a surficial 50 m thick conformably stratified unit overlying an irregular erosion surface. This stratified unit appears to be compressionally folded and associated with minor faults. At the shelf break, there are numerous indicators of a tensional regime, such as a large, slope-parallel graben and numerous mud diapirs. Although a large-scale slide-scar was mapped in one area, most of the slope is interpreted to be deforming by a creep mechanism. Preliminary calculations can provide reasonable values for the fold wave length and rate of deformation, supporting the suggestion that time dependent creep deformation has occurred in this area.     

Nitrogen and carbon isotopic composition of marine and terrestrial organic matter in Arctic Ocean sediments:: implications for nutrient utilization and organic matter composition

Relationships between organic carbon, total nitrogen and organic nitrogen concentrations and variations in δ¹³C_org and δ¹⁵N_org are examined in surface sediments from the eastern central Arctic Ocean and the Yermak Plateau. Removing the organic matter from samples with KOBr/KOH and determining residual as well as total N shows that there is a significant amount of bound inorganic N in the samples, which causes TOC/N_total ratios to be low (4–10 depending on the organic content). TOC/N_org ratios are significantly higher (8–16). This correction of organic TOC/N ratios for the presence of soil-derived bound ammonium is especially important in samples with high illite concentrations, the clay mineral mainly responsible for ammonium adsorption. The isotopic composition of the organic N fraction was estimated by determining the isotopic composition of the total and inorganic nitrogen fractions and assuming mass-balance. A strong correlation between δ¹⁵N_org values of the sediments and the nitrate concentration of surface waters indicates different relative nitrate utilization rates of the phytoplankton in various regions of the Arctic Ocean. On the Yermak Plateau, low δ¹⁵N_org values correspond to high nitrate concentrations, whereas in the central Arctic Ocean high δ¹⁵N_org values are found beneath low nitrate waters. Sediment δ¹³C_org values are close to −23.0‰ in the Yermak Plateau region and approximately −21.4‰ in the central Arctic Ocean. Particulate organic matter collected from meltwater ponds and ice-cores are relatively enriched in ¹³C (δ¹³C_org=−15.3 to −20.6‰) most likely due to low CO₂(aq) concentrations in these environments. A maximum terrestrial contribution of 30% of the organic matter to sediments in the central Arctic Ocean is derived, based on the carbon isotope data and various assumptions about the isotopic composition of the potential endmembers.     

Dynamics of dissolved organic carbon in the northwestern Indian Ocean

We report here the non-conservative behaviour of DOC in the northwestern Indian Ocean by studying this parameter together with other carbon and nitrogen components. This contrasts with earlier reports of conservative behaviour. Concentrations of DOC, 3–4 times higher than those reported earlier, were found to decrease northward from the equator. Total carbon dioxide (TCO₂) increases in proportion of the oxygen utilized, thus revealing the dominant biological role in the carbon turnover. The CO₂ added through dissolution of biogenic debris is found to decrease southward, in general. Decomposition of organic material contributes at least 64% to the CO₂ addition that increases southward, the rest being from dissolution of skeletal material. Evidence is provided for the utilization of oxygen and nitrate for DOC oxidative decomposition. Accumulation of DOC without its complete oxidation to CO₂ could be the main reason for the TCO₂ decrease in southern Arabian Sea. Relationships of DOC with nitrification and denitrification processes show that the microbial population plays a major role in regulating the DOC contents in the seawater of this region. Consumption/decomposition by denitrifying bacteria and other micro-organisms responsible for nitrogen cycling in the sea are found to be intimately related to the DOC dynamics and are responsible for decreased DOC concentrations in the north. DOC accumulation in the southern Arabian Sea seems to facilitate bacterio-particulate aggregate formation and consequent nitrification, which results in excess nitrate. Application of a one-dimensional advection-diffusion model to the present data set provides evidence for the non-conservative nature of DOC in the Arabian Sea.     

The saturation of calcite and aragonite in the Arctic Ocean

We report on the chemical saturation of CaCO₃ in the waters of the Arctic Ocean calculated from total alkalinity (A_T) and total dissolved inorganic carbon (C_T). Data based on four different expeditions are presented: International Arctic Ocean Expedition (IAOE-91), Arctic Ocean Section 94 (AOS94), Polarstern Arctic '96 expedition (ACSYS 96), and Joint Ocean Ice Study 97 (JOIS 97). The results show a lysocline at around 3500 m for aragonite and that most of the Arctic Ocean sea floor lies above the lysocline for calcite. The only anomaly is the low degree of saturation at the shelf break depth in the Canadian Basin seen in the sections of the AOS94 and JOIS 97 cruises, correlated with nutrient maxima and very low O₂ concentration, suggesting decomposition of organic matter. The insignificant variability in degree of saturation between the deep waters of the different basins in the Arctic Ocean indicates a very low sedimentation/remineralisation of organic soft matter.     

Dissolved organic carbon and apparent oxygen utilization in the Atlantic Ocean

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) distributions along two Atlantic Meridional Transects conducted in 2005 in the region between 47°N and 34°S showed clear latitudinal patterns. The DOC concentrations in the epipelagic zone (0–100 m) were the highest (70–90 µM) in tropical and subtropical waters with stable mixed layers, and lowest (50–55 µM) at the poleward extremities of the transects due to deep convective mixing supplying low DOC waters to the surface. A decrease in DOC occurred with depth, and lowest DOC concentrations (41–45 µM) in the 100–300 m depth range were observed in the equatorial region due to upwelling of low DOC waters. A strong relationship between DOC and AOU was observed in the σ–t 26–26.5 isopycnal layer which underlies the euphotic zone and outcrops at the poleward extremities of the North and South Atlantic Subtropical Gyres (NASG and SASG) in the region ventilating the thermocline waters. Our observations reveal significant north–south variability in the DOC–AOU relationship. The gradient of the relationship suggests that 52% of the AOU in the σ–t 26–26.5 density range was driven by DOC degradation in the NASG and 36% in the SASG, with the remainder due to the remineralisation of sinking particulate material. We assess possible causes for the greater contribution of DOC remineralisation in the NASG compared to the SASG.     

北极海洋沉积物中持久性有机污染物分布特征及分子地层学记录的研究

持久性有机污染物(POPs)普遍存在于各种环境介质中,其中有机氯农药(OCPs)和多氯联苯(PCBs)化学性质稳定,在环境中能持久残留.它们经食物链浓缩并在生物体内累积,大多数具有致癌、致畸、致突变效应,构成对人类和生态系统的潜在危害,成为世界公认的全球性环境公害.     

Trace element and molecular markers of organic carbon dynamics along a shelf–basin continuum in sediments of the western Arctic Ocean

Molecular organic biomarkers together with trace element composition were investigated in sediments east of Barrow Canyon in the western Arctic Ocean to determine sources and recycling of organic carbon in a continuum from the shelf to the basin. Algal biomarkers (polyunsaturated and short-chain saturated fatty acids, 24-methylcholesta-5,24(28)-dien-3β-ol, dinosterol) highlight the substantial contribution of organic matter from water column and sea-ice primary productivity in shelf environments, while redox markers such as acid volatile sulfide (AVS), Mn, and Re indicate intense metabolism of this material leading to sediment anoxia. Shelf sediments also receive considerable inputs from terrestrial organic carbon, with biomarker composition suggesting the presence of multiple pools of terrestrial organic matter segregated by age/lability or hydrodynamic sorting. Sedimentary metabolism was not as intense in slope sediments as on the shelf; however, sufficient labile organic matter is present to create suboxic and anoxic conditions, at least intermittently, as organic matter is focused towards the slope. Basin sediments also showed evidence for episodic delivery of labile organic carbon inputs despite the strong physical controls of water depth and sea-ice cover. Principal components analysis of the lipid biomarker data was used to estimate fractions of preserved recalcitrant (of terrestrial origin) and labile (of marine origin) organic matter in the sediments, with ranges of 12–79%, 14–45%, and 37–66% found for the shelf, slope, and basin cores, respectively. On average, the relative preserved terrestrial organic matter in basin sediments was 56%, suggesting exchange of organic carbon between nearshore and basin environments in the western Arctic.