Carbon isotope (δ 13 C) excursions suggest times of major methane release during the last 14 kyr in Fram Strait, the deep-water gateway to the Arctic
We present results from a sediment core collected from a pockmark field on the Vestnesa Ridge (~ 80° N) in the eastern Fram Strait. This is the only deep-water gateway to the Arctic, and one of the northernmost marine gas hydrate provinces in the world. Eight 14 C AMS dates reveal a detailed chronol...
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Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2015
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-669-2015 https://doaj.org/article/4558dda9d3c14cfabae5a0dd3e079dfe |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:4558dda9d3c14cfabae5a0dd3e079dfe 2023-05-15T15:00:41+02:00 Carbon isotope (δ 13 C) excursions suggest times of major methane release during the last 14 kyr in Fram Strait, the deep-water gateway to the Arctic C. Consolaro T. L. Rasmussen G. Panieri J. Mienert S. Bünz K. Sztybor 2015-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-669-2015 https://doaj.org/article/4558dda9d3c14cfabae5a0dd3e079dfe EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.clim-past.net/11/669/2015/cp-11-669-2015.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1814-9324 https://doaj.org/toc/1814-9332 1814-9324 1814-9332 doi:10.5194/cp-11-669-2015 https://doaj.org/article/4558dda9d3c14cfabae5a0dd3e079dfe Climate of the Past, Vol 11, Iss 4, Pp 669-685 (2015) Environmental pollution TD172-193.5 Environmental protection TD169-171.8 Environmental sciences GE1-350 article 2015 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-669-2015 2022-12-31T00:05:04Z We present results from a sediment core collected from a pockmark field on the Vestnesa Ridge (~ 80° N) in the eastern Fram Strait. This is the only deep-water gateway to the Arctic, and one of the northernmost marine gas hydrate provinces in the world. Eight 14 C AMS dates reveal a detailed chronology for the last 14 ka BP. The δ 13 C record measured on the benthonic foraminiferal species Cassidulina neoteretis shows two distinct intervals with negative values termed carbon isotope excursion (CIE I and CIE II, respectively). The values were as low as −4.37‰ in CIE I, correlating with the Bølling–Allerød interstadials, and as low as −3.41‰ in CIE II, correlating with the early Holocene. In the Bølling–Allerød interstadials, the planktonic foraminifera also show negative values, probably indicating secondary methane-derived authigenic precipitation affecting the foraminiferal shells. After a cleaning procedure designed to remove authigenic carbonate coatings on benthonic foraminiferal tests from this event, the 13 C values are still negative (as low as −2.75‰). The CIE I and CIE II occurred during periods of ocean warming, sea-level rise and increased concentrations of methane (CH 4 ) in the atmosphere. CIEs with similar timing have been reported from other areas in the North Atlantic, suggesting a regional event. The trigger mechanisms for such regional events remain to be determined. We speculate that sea-level rise and seabed loading due to high sediment supply in combination with increased seismic activity as a result of rapid deglaciation may have triggered the escape of significant amounts of methane to the seafloor and the water column above. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Foraminifera* Fram Strait North Atlantic Planktonic foraminifera Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Climate of the Past 11 4 669 685 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental pollution TD172-193.5 Environmental protection TD169-171.8 Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental pollution TD172-193.5 Environmental protection TD169-171.8 Environmental sciences GE1-350 C. Consolaro T. L. Rasmussen G. Panieri J. Mienert S. Bünz K. Sztybor Carbon isotope (δ 13 C) excursions suggest times of major methane release during the last 14 kyr in Fram Strait, the deep-water gateway to the Arctic |
topic_facet |
Environmental pollution TD172-193.5 Environmental protection TD169-171.8 Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
description |
We present results from a sediment core collected from a pockmark field on the Vestnesa Ridge (~ 80° N) in the eastern Fram Strait. This is the only deep-water gateway to the Arctic, and one of the northernmost marine gas hydrate provinces in the world. Eight 14 C AMS dates reveal a detailed chronology for the last 14 ka BP. The δ 13 C record measured on the benthonic foraminiferal species Cassidulina neoteretis shows two distinct intervals with negative values termed carbon isotope excursion (CIE I and CIE II, respectively). The values were as low as −4.37‰ in CIE I, correlating with the Bølling–Allerød interstadials, and as low as −3.41‰ in CIE II, correlating with the early Holocene. In the Bølling–Allerød interstadials, the planktonic foraminifera also show negative values, probably indicating secondary methane-derived authigenic precipitation affecting the foraminiferal shells. After a cleaning procedure designed to remove authigenic carbonate coatings on benthonic foraminiferal tests from this event, the 13 C values are still negative (as low as −2.75‰). The CIE I and CIE II occurred during periods of ocean warming, sea-level rise and increased concentrations of methane (CH 4 ) in the atmosphere. CIEs with similar timing have been reported from other areas in the North Atlantic, suggesting a regional event. The trigger mechanisms for such regional events remain to be determined. We speculate that sea-level rise and seabed loading due to high sediment supply in combination with increased seismic activity as a result of rapid deglaciation may have triggered the escape of significant amounts of methane to the seafloor and the water column above. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
C. Consolaro T. L. Rasmussen G. Panieri J. Mienert S. Bünz K. Sztybor |
author_facet |
C. Consolaro T. L. Rasmussen G. Panieri J. Mienert S. Bünz K. Sztybor |
author_sort |
C. Consolaro |
title |
Carbon isotope (δ 13 C) excursions suggest times of major methane release during the last 14 kyr in Fram Strait, the deep-water gateway to the Arctic |
title_short |
Carbon isotope (δ 13 C) excursions suggest times of major methane release during the last 14 kyr in Fram Strait, the deep-water gateway to the Arctic |
title_full |
Carbon isotope (δ 13 C) excursions suggest times of major methane release during the last 14 kyr in Fram Strait, the deep-water gateway to the Arctic |
title_fullStr |
Carbon isotope (δ 13 C) excursions suggest times of major methane release during the last 14 kyr in Fram Strait, the deep-water gateway to the Arctic |
title_full_unstemmed |
Carbon isotope (δ 13 C) excursions suggest times of major methane release during the last 14 kyr in Fram Strait, the deep-water gateway to the Arctic |
title_sort |
carbon isotope (δ 13 c) excursions suggest times of major methane release during the last 14 kyr in fram strait, the deep-water gateway to the arctic |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-669-2015 https://doaj.org/article/4558dda9d3c14cfabae5a0dd3e079dfe |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Foraminifera* Fram Strait North Atlantic Planktonic foraminifera |
genre_facet |
Arctic Foraminifera* Fram Strait North Atlantic Planktonic foraminifera |
op_source |
Climate of the Past, Vol 11, Iss 4, Pp 669-685 (2015) |
op_relation |
http://www.clim-past.net/11/669/2015/cp-11-669-2015.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1814-9324 https://doaj.org/toc/1814-9332 1814-9324 1814-9332 doi:10.5194/cp-11-669-2015 https://doaj.org/article/4558dda9d3c14cfabae5a0dd3e079dfe |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-669-2015 |
container_title |
Climate of the Past |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
669 |
op_container_end_page |
685 |
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1766332770737455104 |