Composition index of n-alkanes and paleoenvironmental study in sediments of the Arctic

INTRODUcrIO\The Arctic plays a tyP1cal role 1n regulating the global climate. AlthOugh it is 1ocated inthe high latitude with extremely low temperature similar to that of the isolated continent of theAntarctic, it is surrounded by land where Eskimo lives. The stirrounded land of North Pole be-longs to the tetritory of me countries of EuroPe, Asia and North AInerica. Thus ecologicaland natural enviroament in the AIctic and sub--arctic area has much closer interactions withrnankind cor…

Composition index of n-alkanes and paleoenvironmental study in sediments of the Arctic

This paper reports different concentration patterns of n-alkanes distribution in the sedi- ments from the Chukchi Sea, the Bering Sea in the Arctic. Factor statistical analysis method is used for studying the source of n-alkanes and paleoenvironment. The result shows that n-alkanes is in the range of nC15-nC33 and n-alkane distribution patterns are characterized by two modes. The first mode belongs to the higher molecular with MH being nC25-nC27, CPI > 1 and with remarkable odd-even dominance. They are of terrigenous plant origin. The second one belongs to lower carbon range with MH being nC17 -nC20, CPI > 1 and with indistinct odd-even dominance. Therefore they are contributed by marine bio- logicla inputs. The contribution of land origin is larger than that of marine source. Pr/Ph is lower than 1 in the investigated area, which indicates the depositional environment of reducing reaction with lower oxygen. The result of factor analysis has good agreement with composition characteristics of n-alkanes in the sediment.