Lateral organic carbon supply to the deep Canada Basin

TitleLateral organic carbon supply to the deep Canada Basin
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2008
AuthorsHwang, J, Eglinton, TI, Krishfield, RA, Manganini, SJ, Honjo, S
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume35
Issue11
ISSN0094-8276
Abstract

Understanding the processes driving the carbon cycle in the Arctic Ocean is important for assessing the impacts of the predicted rapid and amplified climate change in this region. We analyzed settling particle samples intercepted by a time-series sediment trap deployed in the abyssal Canada Basin ( at 3067 m) in order to examine carbon export to the deep Arctic Ocean. Strikingly old radiocarbon ages ( apparent mean 14 C age = similar to 1900 years) of the organic carbon, abundant lithogenic material (similar to 80%), and mass flux variations temporally decoupled from the cycle of primary productivity in overlying surface waters together suggest that, unlike other ocean basins, the majority of the particulate organic carbon entering the deep Canada Basin is supplied from the surrounding margins.

DOI10.1029/2008gl034271