Origi-Nd: Characterising the origin and transformation of water masses in Baffin Bay using neodymium isotopes
Université de Lausanne - UNIL
Lay summary
The Arctic and North Atlantic regions are highly sensitive to climate change. Fed by (melt)water from Canada and Greenland, seawater originating from Baffin Bay mixes with North Atlantic waters in the Labrador Sea. Baffin Bay is therefore ideally located to track changes in environmental parameters, such as nutrient inventories and meltwater input or changes in deep water mass formation, as water flows from the Arctic Ocean to the North Atlantic.
This project utilises the neodymium (Nd) isotope system to characterise the provenance and mixing of Arctic waters as they transit through Baffin Bay. Seawater samples will be collected along two zonal transects from Canada to Greenland (~74° N and ~57 ° N), and analysed for their Nd isotope compositions. The outcome will improve our understanding of the response of the Nd isotope system to changing continental influx and outflow to the North Atlantic, with implications for the response of the biogeochemistry of seawater to climate change.
Details
| Regional focus | Arctic |
| Location | Baffin Bay |
| Funded amount | 53,650 CHF |
| Project dates | 3rd October 2024 – 20th October 2024 |
| Category | International Collaboration |