Abstract
Arctic summer and winter sea-ice extent is continuously declining as a result of climate change, affecting the hydrography and biogeochemical cycles on the seasonally ice-free Eurasian Shelves. The prolongation of the open-water season causes higher sediment resuspension and coastal erosion due to larger wind fetch and wave heights. This impacts the optical properties of the water column and hence biological productivity in this region. During “Transarktika-2019” leg 1 in late winter 2019, a comprehensive dataset of and optical data was collected throughout the central and northern Barents Sea. Combining suspended particulate matter concentrations obtained from water samples and optical data revealed a pronounced bottom nepheloid layer on the Barents Sea shelf even under ice-covered conditions. Moreover, the data indicate that the Franz Viktoria Trough could be a major pathway for sediment transport into the Eurasian Basin. Therefore, to link changes in sediment distribution and its impact on the ecosystem under a warming climate, further studies of sediment dynamics are required, particularly during winter.
Highlights
The summer and winter sea-ice extent in the northern Barents Sea has been declining over recent years [1, 2]
Sedimentological investigations were conducted in the Barents Sea to gain new insights into the distribution of suspended particulate matter during late winter
A distinct bottom nepheloid layer was observed during the sampling period across the entire Barents Sea shelf with a decreasing intensity trend from the south towards the north
Summary
The summer and winter sea-ice extent in the northern Barents Sea has been declining over recent years [1, 2]. The suspended particulate matter (SPM) within the water column plays a critical role for the ecosystem by contributing to the amount of nutrient supply In order to assess possible impacts on the ecosystem by future changes in SPM distribution and its dynamics, it is necessary to fully evaluate and describe presentday sedimentological conditions. SPM investigations on the Siberian Arctic shelves were carried out in late summer / early autumn when sea ice and weather conditions are most favorable In the surface water of the Barents Sea, SPM concentrations are mainly driven by the varying intensity of biological productivity reaching maximum values during spring bloom [8, 9]. In the eastern Barents Sea, a pronounced layer of high SPM concentrations extends from the Kara Sea towards the northern Barents Sea
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