Holocene changes in sea-ice cover and polynya formation along the eastern North Greenland shelf: New insights from biomarker records
Date Issued
2020-01-30
Abstract
Understanding the processes controlling the natural variability of sea ice in the Arctic, one of the most dynamic components of the climate system, can help to constrain the effects of future climate change in this highly sensitive area. For the first time, a high-resolution biomarker study was carried out to reconstruct past sea-ice variability off eastern North Greenland. This area is strongly influenced by cold surface waters and drift ice transported via the East Greenland Current, meltwater pulses from the outlet glaciers of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream and the build-up of landfast ice. The well-dated Holocene sedimentary section of Core PS93/025 provides insights into variations of the sea-ice conditions (regional and local sea-ice signal), oceanic and atmospheric circulation and the biotic response to these changes. These biomarker records show a reduced to variable sea-ice cover during the early Holocene between 10.2 and 9.3 ka, followed by a steady increase in sea-ice conditions during the mid Holocene. During the last 5e6 ka, sea-ice conditions remained more stable representing a seasonal to marginal sea-ice situ- ation. Based on our biomarker records, stable sea-ice edge conditions, with a fully developed polynya situation occurred since the last 1 ka.
Subjects
Sea ice
;
Biomarker
;
Northeast Water Polynya
;
Northeast Greenland
Institute
Type
journal article
Journal/Edited collection
Issue
231
Start page
1
End page
16
Secondary publication
No
Language
English
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Syring_2019_Holocene changes sea-ice cover .pdf
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