Geochemical and Sr–Nd–Pb-Isotope Characteristics of Ice-Rafted Sediments of the Arctic Ocean

Abstract

The paper discusses the geochemical and Sr–Nd–Pb-isotope data on ice-rafted sediments (IRS) from different areas of the Arctic Ocean. Samples were collected during the Cruise of R/V Polarstern between Spitsbergen and North Pole, Yermak Plateau, as well as in Fram Strait. It is shown that the studied IRS samples in terms of La_N/Yb_N and εNd values are close to the composition of suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the mouth parts of large rivers and rivers transporting the sedimentary erosion products. This also follows from their Th/Sc, Th/Co, La/Sc, La/Sm, Sc/Th ratios and Sc content and from the position of their data points in the Sc–Th/Sc, La/Sc–Th/Co, and La/Sm–Sc/Th diagrams between the average SPM compositions of the Ob and Lena rivers. The values of ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb and εNd in IRS samples give grounds to suggest that the rock complexes of the European, North American, and Asian continental margins could be potential sources for this sedimentary material. In the ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb–εNd diagram, the IRS samples from all three studied areas define a compact cluster and are mainly confined to the triangle with corners represented by the Mackenzie River, Okhotsk–Chukotka volcanic area, and Lena River, being closer to the latter. In the Sm/Nd–εNd diagram, IRS points also form a compact field, being located almost in the middle between the average SPM compositions of the Yenisei and Ob rivers, on the one hand, and Lena River, on the other. In all diagrams, IRS samples from the different West Arctic areas show no significant scatter. With allowance for the fact that sediments are not subjected to significant homogenization during ice rafting, sediments from all three areas were obtained from a common source. As seen from the position of IRS data points in the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr–εNd diagram, this source was the Asian continental margin.