Suspended particulate matter (SPM) as a main proxy of sedimentation conditions has potential to improve the study and monitoring of the consequences of rapid warming of the Arctic. In this study, we report the concentration of SPM and its major phase composition in the South Kara sedimentary basin in September 2022 as part of a climate experiment to investigate the composition of air and characteristics of the underlying surface in the Russian region of the Arctic and Siberia. In order to understand the sources, sinks, and hydrodynamic influences on SPM distribution in the South Kara Sea, three sections were carried out during cruise: longshore coastal section at the Priyamal shelf and two zonal sections through the center of the study area. These sections of SPM were overlain by salinity, temperature, turbidity, and chlorophyll-a fluorescence contours. Full depth profiles of SPM mass and volume concentrations obtained by a set of methods demonstrate layers of particle accumulation at density interfaces in the upper water column and widespread distribution of near bottom nepheloid layers. Particle composition and chlorophyll-a concentration analyzed from filtered samples throughout the water column aided considerably in determining the sources and distribution of SPM.
The results of studies of dispersed sedimentary matter (aeolian dust) in the near-water layer of atmosphere above the World Ocean have been summarized. It is shown that its contribution to sedimentation in the World Ocean is close to the contribution of river sedimentary material. Taking into account the significant enrichment of the dispersed sedimentary matter of the atmosphere with Pb, Sb, Cd, V, it can be assumed that for these elements the air route is the main route of their entry into the bottom sediments of many regions of the World Ocean.
This comparative study discusses the concentration and major phase composition of suspended particulate matter (SPM) derived from observations collected in the White, Barents and Kara seas in 2001–2021. A selective synthesis is based on our field data on SPM concentrations obtained from water samples and optical data determined from beam attenuation coefficient and light scattering revealed a pronounced difference of seawater optical properties of the western Arctic shelf of Eurasia. The heterogeneous origin of SPM in the studied Arctic seas largely determines different particle size distribution (PSD) and major phase composition of particulate matter in this region. This impacts the optical properties of the water column and hence primary production and sedimentation processes on the western Eurasian Arctic shelf. In recent decades, the dramatic changes in the Arctic climate system, including sea ice, affecting the concentration and composition of SPM as well as optical properties of sea water on the Barents Sea shelf becomes close to ice-free and seasonally ice-free shelves of the White and Kara seas. A pronounced benthic nepheloid layer (BNL) was reveled widespread in the studied seas but it has different thickness and SPM concentration. SPM distribution in the euphotic zone of the seas is much differs due to mostly various catchment-derived material, including river discharge (particulate and dissolved), and other natural geographical conditions. It is necessary to develop regional and seasonal algorithms linking in situ data with remote sensing of bio-optical characteristics of sea water of the Eurasian Arctic shelf.
The study investigated vertical particle fluxes and associated environmental parameters in the northern part of the Barents Sea in August 2020. The results of a 5-day deployment of mooring referred to as ‘Automatic Deep-Sea Sedimentation Observatory’ (ADOS) with sediment traps and CTD and current profilers are discussed in this study.
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