A high resolution proxy-climate record from an arctic lake with annually-laminated sediments on Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada

Sediments from a 3 ha lake (75 °34.34N, 89 °18.55W) from the coastal region of northern Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada, contain discrete laminations in the deepest part of the basin. The laminations are varves as indicated by the correspondence between counts and thickness measurements of the couplets and ²¹⁰Pb dating. A 14 cm core representing 150 years of sedimentation contained laminated couplets consisting of a lighter inorganic layer with a higher percentage of calcium and magnesium, alternating with fine darker bands, typically more cohesive, and comprising higher proportions of silica and carbon. A reddish oxidation zone with higher iron and aluminum frequently separates the laminations. The dark layer represents a biogenic component deposited in summer and is made cohesive by bacterial filaments among the other particles. The light inorganic layer represents clastic deposition from allochthonous sources. Deposition rates were relatively consistent through the core with an increase in varve thickness in the 1950s. Diatom concentrations in the sediments increased by two orders of magnitude in this century, with major increases in the 1920s and 1950s. The increase in varve thickness and diatom abundance coincides with an increase in summer melt percentage in an ice core from the Devon Island Ice Cap (Koerner, 1977). The relatively high sedimentation rate (0.15 cm yr^-1) coupled with the consistency of deposition makes this lake a significant indicator for recent climate changes of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.     

Sediment chemistry and diatom stratigraphy of two high arctic isolation lakes,Truelove Lowland,Devon Island,N.W.T., Canada

Three sediment cores from two lakes, Fish Lake and Phalarope Lake, in Truelove Lowland, Devon Island, N.W.T. were analyzed for diatoms and chemical composition. Multivariate statistical techniques using a range of chemical variables successfully isolated three sediment groupings in the cores. Allochthonous and autochthonous chemical components in the sediments have been used to reconstruct paleoenvironmental conditions. The two lakes began approximately 10600 years ago as shallow marine lagoons that were isolated from the sea as a result of glacio-isostatic rebound. Based on the presence of distinctive diatom assemblages, the three stratigraphic zones are identified as a basal marine zone, an intermediate and transitional brackish/marine zone and an upper freshwater zone. Following isolation from the sea, the lakes were flushed with freshwater produced by snow and ice melt. In Fish Lake, the period of transition from marine to freshwater, which began approximately 7000 years ago, lasted approximately 800 years. In Phalarope Lake, which was isolated from the sea approximately 5000 years ago, flushing by fresh water was completed only within the last 300 years. Fe, Cr, and Mo in the sediments are associated with the isolation phase when lake sedimentation is sensitive to the presence of brackish water and erosion within the lake catchments. In particular, the precipitation of Mo as MoS₂ reflects the presence of hypolimnetic anoxia associated with lake isolation. During the early post-isolation phase the response of lake biota to an influx of nutrients is reflected in an increase in biological silica and organic carbon in the lake sediments. On the other hand, the generally low organic content of the sediments indicates that sedimentation in these lakes has been largely determined by variations in non-biogenic factors through time. During the mid Holocene the progressive stabilization of surface materials within the lake catchments is marked by decreasing Cr, As and Na in the sediments. At the same time, an increase in allochthonous Mn and Fe is attributed to progressive soil development. During the last 2500 years the catchments have experienced decreased erosion resulting in a decrease in both allochthonous clastic input and lake productivity.     

Little Ice Age recorded in summer temperature reconstruction from vared sediments of Donard Lake, Baffin Island, Canada

Clastic varved sediments from Donard Lake, in the Cape Dyer region of Baffin Island, provide a 1250 yr record of decadal-to-centennial scale climate variability. Donard Lake experiences strong seasonal fluctuations in runoff and sediment fluxes due to the summer melting of the Caribou Glacier, which presently dominates its catchment. The seasonal variation in sediment supply results in the annual deposition of laminae couplets. A radiocarbon date measured on moss fragments, with a calibrated age of 860 ± 80 yrs before present (BP), is in close agreement with the age based on paired-layer counts. Together with the fabric of the laminae determined from microscope analysis, the age agreement demonstrates that the laminae couplets are annually deposited varves. Comparisons of varve thickness and average summer temperature from nearby Cape Dyer show a significant positive correlation (r= 0.57 for annual records, r = 0.82 for 3-yr averages), indicating that varve thickness reflects changes in average summer temperature. Varve thickness was used to reconstruct average summer temperatures for the past 1250 yrs, and shows abrupt shifts and large amplitude decadal-to-centennial scale variability throughout the record. The most prominent feature of the record is a period of elevated summer temperatures from 1200-1375 AD, followed by cooler conditions from 1375-1820 AD, coincident with the Little Ice Age.     

Remote sensing of ice cap outlet glacier fluctuations on Nordaustlandet, Svalbard

Landsat multispectral scanner images and 1:50, 000 scale aerial photographs are used to measure marginal fluctuations in 22 outlet glaciers of the Nordaustlandet ice caps, Svalbard, for all or parts of the period 1969 to 1981. Little was previously known about the behaviour of these glacier termini. Digital analysis of Landsat computer compatible tapes yielded measurement errors of less than ±150m, whereas data extracted from aerial photographs had an accuracy of ±25 m. Of the 22 glacier termini examined using aerial photographs, 15 were retreating, four were static and three were advancing. Retreat was usually in the order of hundreds of metres during the period of observation. For any outlet glacier, retreat was probably a result of either (1) glacier response to climatic wanning since the early part of the 20th century, or (2) stagnation and thinning during the quiescent period between surges. Short term iceberg calving events may also be responsible for retreat in a few cases. All observed outlet glaciers of Austfonna were static or retreating between 1969 and 1981, but analysis of Landsat imagery and aerial photographs showed that five outlet glaciers from Vestfonna and one from Vegafonna were advancing for all or part of that period. Bodleybreen advanced by a mean of 440 and a maximum of 580m a⁻¹ between 1976 and 1981. Bodleybreen, Søre Rijpbreen, and Palanderbreen are identified as surging, based on increases or changes in the pattern of surface crevassing. The ice streams Aldousbreen, Frazerbreen, and Idunbreen also advanced between 1976 and 1981, but surface crevasse patterns remained largely unaltered and surging is not inferred.     

Recent variations of Antarctic temperature, sea ice and ozone

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Recent sedimentation in a high arctic lake, northern Ellesmere Island, Canada

A multiple core study was conducted on laminated minerogenic sediments from Lake C2, Northern Ellesmere Island, Canadian High Arctic. Lateral persistence, distal thinning, variation in grain size of these laminations as well as present-day processes of highly seasonal sediment transfer into the lake basin suggest that clastic varves have been formed. Sedimentation rates based on ²¹⁰Pb dating agree well with sedimentation rates based on lamination counts giving further evidence that laminations are annual. Errors in varve counting were reduced from 12% to < 2% using the multi-core approach of cross-correlating all records. Varved sediments are occasionally interrupted by thick coarse-grained layers, which are interpreted as deposits of turbidity currents and may be related to extremely high discharge events and slope failures of the delta front. Micro-laminated sediments spanning the last two centuries were studied in detail. Suspension settling is the dominant process of deposition depending upon stream discharge which is controlled by nival melt and summer temperatures. Application of varve chronology thus allows to use lamination thickness measurements as source of high resolution proxy data for palaeoclimatic reconstruction.This is the fifth in a series of papers published in this issue on the Taconite Inlet Lakes Project. These papers were collected by Dr R. S. Bradley.     

Development of a diatom-based specific conductivity model for the glacio-isostatic lakes of Truelove Lowland: implications for paleoconductivity and paleoenvironmental reconstructions in Devon Island lakes, N.W.T., Canada

Diatoms are identified and enumerated from the surface sediments of 100 lakes of Truelove Lowland, Devon Island, N.W.T., Canada. These lakes range from large oligotrophic lakes, to small tundra ponds, to coastal marine lagoons which are diverse in terms of ionic concentration and composition. The relationship between diatoms and 15 limnological variables is examined using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Specific conductivity is identified as the most important variable influencing the distribution of diatoms in the Truelove lakes. A Weighted Averaging (WA) calibration model is developed to predict diatom-inferred specific conductivity. The reliability of the model is tested by evaluating the correlation between observed and diatom-inferred values and determining the error of prediction by bootstrapping. The applicability of the predictive conductivity equation is demonstrated by reconstructing the paleoconductivity history of Fish Lake.     

加拿大海盆夏季冰区细菌和原生生物群落特性分析

采用表面荧光显微分析方法对2014年夏季中国第6次北极科学考察期间采集于加拿大海盆7个海冰站位的融池、冰芯和冰下海水样品进行了细菌和原生生物群落分析。结果表明,上述3类生境中的第一优势类群均为细菌(不包括ICE07站位出现水华融池的统计),分别占总生物量的42.8%、37.8%和50.7%;第二优势类群均为鞭毛虫,分别占总生物量的40.2%、34.3%和37.5%。包含细菌、鞭毛虫和纤毛虫在内的异养生物在总生物量中占有优势,显示微食物环在其中起着重要作用。在北冰洋夏季快速融冰的背景下,3类生境总体上缺少快速生长的条件,总生物量偏低。其中ICE07站位出现融池水华和冰表自养鞭毛藻高值,推测合适的藻种和营养盐的额外补充共同促成了该站位冰表(融池)藻华的形成。     

Low velocity zone reflections observed in geometrical shadows of refraction profiles

Summary. A low-velocity zone (LVZ) shadow on a refraction profile may contain coherent energy. If the LVZ contains reflectors, the corresponding pre-critical reflection branches will lie within the geometrical shadow. Such energy is observed in data and can, via inversion or synthetic seismogram modelling, potentially provide information on the location and character of the main structural features (those with significant reflectivity) within the LVZ.     

The climatic signal in varved sediments from Lake C2, northern Ellesmere Island, Canada

Annually-laminated clastic sediments preserve a high resolution proxy record of paleoclimate, provided that allochthonous sedimentation represents a response to meteorological forcing of watershed sediment transfer. Here, we demonstrate this linkage, and illustrate a calibration process using the most recent 40 years of a varve record from Lake C2 (82°50 N; 78°00 W), three years of field measurements, and meteorological data for 1951–92 from nearby AES weather station Alert. Field measurements were used to correlate proxies of the energy available for snowmelt (e.g. air temperature) and daily suspended sediment discharge (SSQ). Our calibration was extended through use of weather data from Alert. Both mean daily air temperature at Echo, and daily SSQ, were well correlated with air temperature at 600 m above Alert, as obtained from the 1200 Z (0800 LST) rawinsonde sounding. Accordingly, we used pooled 1990 and 1992 Alert 600 m data to predict the lagged daily sediment discharge into Lake C2 (adj. r ²=0.43). Daily values were summed each year in order to produce an annual series of predicted sediment transfer to the lake. The original varve chronology was based on eight sediment cores recovered from the deep basin of the lake (>80 m). Although low-frequency fluctuations of the varve and predicted SSQ series agree, slight tuning of the varve record optimizes the correlation between them. Adjustments were based on examination of weather data for specific years, reexamination of sediment core thin sections, and by aligning fluctuations in the two series which closely matched. Although the original chronology is reasonably well correlated with 600 m temperatures at Alert (for JJA mean, r=0.41, significant at 0.01), the adjusted chronology is both better correlated and contains a more precise climate signal (r=0.54 for July mean, significant at 0.01). This is the first calibrated varve record produced from Arctic lake sediments, and demonstrates that varves from Lake C2 contain a paleoclimatic record. We believe the post-facto manipulations required to produce the adjusted varve chronology are reasonable given the uncertainties inherent in varve counting, and the lack of any independent corroborating chronostratigraphic markers.This is the ninth in a series of papers published in this issue on the Taconite Inlet Lakes Project. These papers were collected by Dr R. S. Bradley.     

Recent Summer Climate Recorded in Complex Varved Sediments, Nicolay Lake, Cornwall Island, Nunavut, Canada

The recent (1950–1996) varve record from the proximal sediments in Nicolay Lake, Cornwall Island, Nunavut, Canada (77°46′ N, 94°40′ W) contains distinct subannual rhythmites. Deposition of these subannual rhythmites is due primarily to nival snow melt, with additional sedimentary units resulting from major summer precipitation and subaqueous mass wasting events. In order to evaluate the potential hydroclimatic signal contained in the varves from the unglacierized catchment, the nival deposition record was estimated by delineating the initial subannual rhythmite within each varve. When the record is split into temporal segments based on two phases that exhibit different sediment deposition patterns in the lake, the nival rhythmites are significantly correlated to annual cumulative melting degree days (MDD) from the nearest weather station Isachsen (78°47′ N, 103°32′ W) (1950–1962 AD and 1963–1977 AD with r = 0.55 and r = 0.82, respectively). A similar analysis with data from Resolute (74°43′ N, 94°59′ W) yields slightly weaker correlations (1950–1962 AD, r = 0.60; 1963–1994, r = 0.59). The strong positive correlation with both the Isachsen and Resolute thermal records suggests that the paleoclimatic signal in the sediments reflects regional climate conditions. Notably, the signal is strongest when the entire melt season is considered; weaker correlations with instrumental weather records are associated with comparisons limited to the peak melt or early season melt periods. We attribute this to the ongoing supply of snowmelt through the season in this polar region and the availability of sediment for transport throughout the melt season. These results indicate that a high resolution hydroclimatic signal is present in the sediments from Nicolay Lake and can be used for paleoclimate reconstruction provided sedimentary depositional controls are taken into account.     

Phylogenetic analysis of bacteria in sea ice brine sampled from the Canada Basin,Arctic Ocean

Bacterial diversity in sea ice brine samples which collected from four stations located at the Canada Basin,Arctic Ocean was analyzed by PCR-DGGE.T wenty-three 16S rDNA sequences of bacteria obtained from DGGE bands were cloned and sequenced.Phylogenetic analysis clustered these sequences within γ-prote obacteria,Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides(CFB)group,Firmicutes and A ctinobacteria.The phylotype of Pseudoalteromonas in the γ-proteobacteria was predominant and members of the CFB group and γ-proteobacteria were highly abundant in studied sea ice brine samples.     

A 300 year record of environmental change from Lake Tuborg, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada

Lamination thickness measurements in sediments from Lake Tuborg, northern Ellesmere Island, Canada document an increase in high-energy hydrologic discharge events from ∼1865 to 1962. The timing of these events corresponds with evidence for an increase in the amount of melt on the adjacent Agassiz Ice Cap, as recorded in ice cores. There appears to have been a non-linear change in depositional energy resulting from a dramatic increase in Agassiz meltwater discharge, particularly after ∼1908. A strong correlation between the Lake Tuborg varve thickness record, the amount of melting on the Agassiz Ice Cap and Eureka 900 mb air temperature records suggests that changes in the height of the freezing level in the atmosphere have affected the extent of summer melting on the Agassiz Ice Cap, leading to high volume discharge events and associated sediment flux to Lake Tuborg.     

Evaluation of stratospheric ozone,temperature, and aerosol profiles from the LOANA lidar in Antarctica

We present an evaluation of observations from the Lidar Ozone and Aerosol for NDACC in Antarctica (LOANA) at the Dumont d’Urville station, Antarctica. This instrument is part of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC), and ensures continuity with lidar measurements made since 1989 with the previous instrument at this site. This study is based on the dataset from 2008 to 2009, and comparisons are made with observations from balloon soundings, and from three satellite experiments: Aura/MLS, TIMED/SABER, and CALIOP/CALIPSO. The lidar ozone data are in very good agreement with the balloon sounding data (ECC sensor), revealing a bias of less than 3% between 17 and 34 km. For temperature, the lidar shows a low bias of ?3 K at 20 km when compared with Aura/MLS. Between 30 and 50 km, the bias is less than 2 K. We also present our initial results showing diurnal variations in temperature. The amplitude of these diurnal cycles is on the order of 1 K and is unlikely to account for the temperature biases between LOANA and the reference instruments. Comparisons of total attenuated backscatter reveal good qualitative agreement between LOANA and CALIOP, with differences of less than 30% in the derived optical depth.     

Climatic influences on streamflow and sediment flux into Lake C2, northern Ellesmere Island, Canada

Streamflow, suspended sediment transport and meteorological variables at two elevations were measured through the 1990–1992 field seasons at Lake C2, Northern Ellesmere Island, as part of the Taconite Inlet Lakes Project. The objectives were to determine the extent to which suspended sediment flux responded to climatic variability, and to ascertain which meteorological variable was most strongly associated with daily discharge and sediment load. This study provided a partial test of our hypothesis that the annually-laminated sediments of Lake C2 contain a paleoclimate signal. Streamflow to the lake was almost exclusively the result of snowmelt, in response to inputs of atmospheric energy as measured by air temperature at the median watershed elevation (520 m). Sea-level air temperature, global solar and net all-wave irradiance were less clearly associated with discharge. Fluctuations of discharge and suspended sediment concentration were nearly synchronous, and non-linearly related. Daily sediment discharge was therefore linked by streamflow, with a time lag, to the energy available for snowmelt. Mean daily air temperature and cumulative degree-days above 0 °C, at 520 m elevation, were successfully used to predict the daily and seasonal discharge of runoff and sediment to the lake.This is the third in a series of papers published in this issue on the Taconite Inlet Lakes Project. These papers were collected by Dr R. S. Bradley.     

Exposed evaporite diapirs and minibasins above a canopy in central Sverdrup Basin,Axel Heiberg Island,Arctic Canada

Axel Heiberg Island (Arctic Archipelago, northern Nunavut, Canada) contains the thickest Mesozoic section in Sverdrup Basin (11 km). The ca. 370‐km‐long island is second only to Iran in its concentration of exposed evaporite diapirs. Forty‐six diapirs of Carboniferous evaporites and associated minibasins are excellently exposed on the island. Regional anticlines, which formed during Paleogene Eurekan orogeny, trend roughly north on a regular ca. 20‐km wavelength and probably detach on autochthonous Carboniferous Otto Fiord Formation evaporites comprising halite overlain by thick anhydrite. In contrast, a 60‐km‐wide area, known as the wall‐and‐basin structure (WABS) province, has bimodal fold trends and irregular (<10 km) wavelengths. Here, crooked, narrow diapirs of superficially gypsified anhydrite crop out in tight anticline cores, which are separated by wider synclinal minibasins. We interpret the WABS province to detach on a shallow, partly exposed canopy of coalesced allochthonous evaporite sheets. Surrounding strata record a salt‐tectonic history spanning the Late Triassic (Norian) to the Paleogene. Stratigraphic thinning against diapirs and spectacular angular unconformities indicate mild regional shortening in which diapiric roof strata were bulged up and flanking strata steepened. This bulging culminated in the Hauterivian, when diapiric evaporites broke out and coalesced to form a canopy. As the inferred canopy was buried, it yielded second‐generation diapirs, which rose between minibasins subsiding into the canopy. Consistent high level emplacement suggests that all exposed diapirs inside the WABS area rose from the canopy. In contrast, diapirs along the WABS margins were sourced in autochthonous salt as first‐generation diapirs. Apart from the large diapir‐flanking unconformities, Jurassic‐Cretaceous depositional evidence of salt tectonics also includes submarine debris flows and boulder conglomerates shed from at least three emergent diapirs. Extreme local relief, tectonic slide blocks, steep talus fans and subaerial debris flows suggest that many WABS diapirs continue to rise today. The Axel Heiberg canopy is one of only three known exposed evaporite canopies, each inferred or known at a different structural level: above the canopy (Axel Heiberg), through the canopy (Great Kavir) and beneath a possible canopy (Sivas).     

Snow accumulation, melt, mass loss, and the near-surface ice temperature structure of Irenebreen, Svalbard

This study examines the mass balance, accumulation, melt, and near-surface ice thermal structure of Irenebreen, a 4.1 km² glacier located in northwest Spitsbergen, Svalbard. Traditional glaciological mass balance measurements by stake readings and snow surveying have been conducted annually at the glacier since 2002, yielding a mean annual net mass balance of −65 cm w.e. for the period 2002–2009. In 2009, the annual mass balance of Irenebreen was −63 cm w.e. despite above-average snow accumulation in winter. The near-surface ice temperature in the accumulation area was investigated with automatic borehole thermistors. The mean annual surface ice temperatures (September–August) of the accumulation area were −3.7 °C at 1 m depth and −3.3 °C at 10 m depth. Irenebreen is potentially polythermal, with cold ice and a temperate surface layer during summer. This temperate surface layer is influenced by seasonal changes in temperature. In winter, the temperature of all the ice is below the melting point and temperate layers are probably present in basal sections of the glacier. This supposition is supported by the presence of icings in the forefield of Irenebreen.     

A late Holocene varved sediment record of environmental change from northern Ellesmere Island, Canada

A composite record of varve sedimentation is presented from high arctic meromictic Lake C2. The combination of a short runoff and sediment transport season with the strong density stratification of the lake lead to the formation of annual sediment couplets. This conclusion was confirmed by ²¹⁰Pb determinations. High intra-lake correlation of the varves allowed the construction of a composite record of varve sedimentation from overlapping segments of multiple sediment cores. Cross-dating between core segments isolated counting errors in individual cores, that could be attributed to minor sediment disturbances and vague structures. Resolving counting errors by cross-dating reduced the chronological error of the composite series to an estimated ±57 years.The Lake C2 series is the first non-ice cap, high resolution late-Holocene environmental record from the Canadian high arctic. The composite varve series compares favorably with other high resolution proxies from the arctic, in particular with the ice core records from Devon Island and Camp Century, Greenland. A general correspondence between the varve record and other North American proxies for the little Ice Age period (1400–1900 AD) suggests that the Lake C2 record is sensitive to large-scale synoptic changes.This is the tenth in a series of papers published in this issue on the Taconite Inlet Lakes Project. These papers were collected by Dr R. S. Bradley.