Isotope geochemistry of stratified Lake "A," Ellesmere Island, N.W.T., Canada

Ionic composition, salinity, temperature, pH, tritium, and stable isotope compositions of water and ions were determined for samples collected in 1969 and 1982 from different depths of stratified Lake "A" on Ellesmere Island. Tritium contents and ionic and stable isotope compositions were...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
Main Authors: Jeffries, M. O., Krouse, H. R., Shakur, M. A., Harris, S. A.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1984
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e84-105
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/e84-105
Description
Summary:Ionic composition, salinity, temperature, pH, tritium, and stable isotope compositions of water and ions were determined for samples collected in 1969 and 1982 from different depths of stratified Lake "A" on Ellesmere Island. Tritium contents and ionic and stable isotope compositions were diagnostic of recent fresh water overlying older, deeper trapped seawater. A temperature maximum occurs at 15 m in the freshwater–seawater transition zone. Salinity, δ 18 O, and δD data suggest that the lake evaporated slightly and acquired about 12% fresh water prior to stratification. Individual ion concentrations reveal a slightly modified cation composition and marked depletions in sulphate and enrichments in dissolved carbonate compared with modern ocean water. The δ 34 S, δ 18 O, and δ 13 C data for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] attest to extensive anaerobic [Formula: see text] reduction during the lake's history.