Alkenones in surface waters of the Nordic seas ...

• Main Authors: Bendle, James A, Rosell-Melé, Antoni, Ziveri, Patrizia
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2005
• Subjects: East Greenland; east greenland current; Greenland; Nordic Seas; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.837152; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.837152

Samples of filtered particulate organic matter (POM) were obtained during the summers of 1999 and 2000 from the surface waters of the Nordic seas to monitor the spatial distribution of long-chain alkenones. The aim of the study was to appraise existing alkenone-based climatic proxies in northern high latitudes. Unusually high percentages of the tetraunsaturated alkenone were measured in the polar waters of the East Greenland Current, with C37:4 of up to 77% in 80% of sea-ice cover. Values of percent C37:4 across the Nordic seas showed a strong association with water mass type. Analysis of coccoliths in filters indicated that calcified Emiliania huxleyi could not be discounted as the biological precursor of alkenones in all the water masses. A combined data set of 69 samples of POM revealed a stronger correlation of percent C37:4 to sea surface salinity (SSS; R2 = 0.72) than to sea surface temperature (SST; R2 = 0.50). Values of percent C37:4 in sea surface POM were much higher than those in surficial ... : Supplement to: Bendle, James A; Rosell-Melé, Antoni; Ziveri, Patrizia (2005): Variability of unusual distributions of alkenones in the surface waters of the Nordic seas. Paleoceanography, 20(2), PA2001 ...