Hypersaline Gradients in Two Canadian High Arctic Lakes
The meromictic Sophia and Garrow lakes are probably saline relicts of cutoff fjords on the uplifted Cornwallis and Little Cornwallis islands in the High Arctic of the Canadian Archipelago. Sophia and Garrow have brackish (S = 2–4) upper and hypersaline (S = 55–90) lower waters with ion ratios (espec...
| Published in: | Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
1986
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f86-223 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f86-223 |
| Summary: | The meromictic Sophia and Garrow lakes are probably saline relicts of cutoff fjords on the uplifted Cornwallis and Little Cornwallis islands in the High Arctic of the Canadian Archipelago. Sophia and Garrow have brackish (S = 2–4) upper and hypersaline (S = 55–90) lower waters with ion ratios (especially the lower waters) similar to that of the sea. Substantial oxygen extends well below the chemocline in Sophia. The stability of these lakes is among the highest known. Because of their size, depth, and unusually warm lower waters, it seems likely that an unfrozen "thermal chimney" extends beneath the lakes through the surrounding permafrost. We feel that the hypersaline gradients evolved primarily by descent of "salt fingers" during freeze out from above, and not by solute rejection from the ground during uplift and permafrost growth, or through taliks connected to the sea, as proposed by Page et al. (1984. Limnol. Oceanogr. 29: 564–573). |
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