Influence of Riverine Discharge and Timing of Ice Retreat on Particle Sedimentation Patterns on the Laptev Sea Shelf

What is it about?

As recent warming is especially important for the Arctic Ocean, studies on the vertical fluxes there attract increasing attention. The poorly studied Laptev Sea, which is located in the center of the Siberian shelf, is of particular interest due to the high freshwater inflow and ice production. We studied the magnitude and composition of the vertical fluxes affected by riverine discharge and the timing of ice retreat.

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Why is it important?

Elevated lithogenic flux on the Laptev shelf is related not only to the riverine discharge, but also to the sediment resuspension, lateral offshore transport of sediment just above the seabed, and coastal abrasion. The timing of ice cover melt appears crucial in determining the patterns of vertical export with the higher fluxes observed soon after the sea ice brake up.

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