Application of Deuterium Excess for Identification of Freshwater Sources in the Bays of Novaya Zemlya Archipelago

Abstract

An isotopic–geochemical study was carried out for waters of Tsivolkii and Sedov bays (southeastern coast of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago). The waters of these bays can be freshened by several potential sources involving the river runoff from the continent, atmospheric precipitation of the region, and waters coming from the archipelago. The possibility to use the deuterium excess for identification of freshwater components in the waters entering the bays studied is shown. The calculations, which we made on material sampled in 2015, showed the presence of the estuarine waters of the Ob River in the surface waters of Sedov Bay. In the same period, the waters of the halocline of Tsivolkii Bay were freshened by local sources, namely runoff from the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago.