West Svalbard Research Articles

Hydrate occurrence in Europe: A review of available evidence

Abstract Large national programs in the United States and several Asian countries have defined and characterised their marine methane hydrate occurrences in some detail, but European hydrate occurrence has received less attention. The European Union-funded project “Marine gas hydrate – an indigenous resource of natural gas for Europe” (MIGRATE) aimed to determine the European potential inventory of exploitable gas hydrate, to assess current technologies for their production, and to evaluate the associated risks. We present a synthesis of results from a MIGRATE working group that focused on the definition and assessment of hydrate in Europe. Our review includes the western and eastern margins of Greenland, the Barents Sea and onshore and offshore Svalbard, the Atlantic margin of Europe, extending south to the northwestern margin of Morocco, the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and the western and southern margins of the Black Sea. We have not attempted to cover the high Arctic, the Russian, Ukrainian and Georgian sectors of the Black Sea, or overseas territories of European nations. Following a formalised process, we defined a range of indicators of hydrate presence based on geophysical, geochemical and geological data. Our study was framed by the constraint of the hydrate stability field in European seas. Direct hydrate indicators included sampling of hydrate; the presence of bottom simulating reflectors in seismic reflection profiles; gas seepage into the ocean; and chlorinity anomalies in sediment cores. Indirect indicators included geophysical survey evidence for seismic velocity and/or resistivity anomalies, seismic reflectivity anomalies or subsurface gas escape structures; various seabed features associated with gas escape, and the presence of an underlying conventional petroleum system. We used these indicators to develop a database of hydrate occurrence across Europe. We identified a series of regions where there is substantial evidence for hydrate occurrence (some areas offshore Greenland, offshore west Svalbard, the Barents Sea, the mid-Norwegian margin, the Gulf of Cadiz, parts of the eastern Mediterranean, the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea) and regions where the evidence is more tenuous (other areas offshore Greenland and of the eastern Mediterranean, onshore Svalbard, offshore Ireland and offshore northwest Iberia). We provide an overview of the evidence for hydrate occurrence in each of these regions. We conclude that around Europe, areas with strong evidence for the presence of hydrate commonly coincide with conventional thermogenic hydrocarbon provinces.

Organic Matter Sources in North Atlantic Fjord Sediments

AbstractTo better constrain the global carbon cycle fundamental knowledge of the role of carbon cycling on continental margins is crucial. Fjords are particularly important shelf areas for carbon burial due to relatively high sedimentation rates and high organic matter fluxes. As terrigenous organic matter is more resistant to remineralization than marine organic matter, a comprehensive knowledge of the carbon source is critical to better constrain the efficiency of organic carbon burial in fjord sediments. Here we investigated highly productive fjords in northern Norway and compare our results with both existing and new organic carbon to organic nitrogen ratios and carbon stable isotope compositions from fjords in mid‐Norway, west Svalbard, and east Greenland. The marine organic carbon contribution varies significantly between these fjords, and the contribution of marine organic carbon in Norwegian fjords is much larger than previously suggested for fjords in NW Europe and also globally. Additionally, northern Norwegian fjords show very high marine carbon burial rates (73.6 gC · m‐2 · year‐1) suggesting that these fjords are probably very distinct carbon burial hotspots. We argue that the North Atlantic Current inflow sustains these high burial rates and changes in the current strength due to ongoing climate change are likely to have a pronounced effect on carbon burial in North Atlantic fjords.

Fracture-controlled fluid transport supports microbial methane-oxidizing communities at Vestnesa Ridge

Abstract. We report a rare observation of a mini-fracture in near-surface sediments (30 cm below the seafloor) visualized using a rotational scanning X-ray of a core recovered from the Lomvi pockmark, Vestnesa Ridge, west of Svalbard (1200 m water depth). Porewater geochemistry and lipid biomarker signatures revealed clear differences in the geochemical and biogeochemical regimes of this core compared with two additional unfractured cores recovered from pockmark sites at Vestnesa Ridge, which we attribute to differential methane transport mechanisms. In the sediment core featuring the shallow mini-fracture at pockmark Lomvi, we observed high concentrations of both methane and sulfate throughout the core in tandem with moderately elevated values for total alkalinity, 13C-depleted dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and 13C-depleted lipid biomarkers (diagnostic for the slow-growing microbial communities mediating the anaerobic oxidation of methane with sulfate – AOM). In a separate unfractured core, recovered from the same pockmark about 80 m away from the fractured core, we observed complete sulfate depletion in the top centimeters of the sediment and much more pronounced signatures of AOM than in the fractured core. Our data indicate a gas advection-dominated transport mode in both cores, facilitating methane migration into sulfate-rich surface sediments. However, the moderate expression of AOM signals suggest a rather recent onset of gas migration at the site of the fractured core, while the geochemical evidence for a well-established AOM community at the second coring site suggest that gas migration has been going on for a longer period of time. A third core recovered from another pockmark along the Vestnesa Ridge Lunde pockmark was dominated by diffusive transport with only weak geochemical and biogeochemical evidence for AOM. Our study highlights that advective fluid and gas transport supported by mini-fractures can be important in modulating methane dynamics in surface sediments.

Holocene diatom assemblages from Dunderbukhta sediments, West Svalbard

The diatom analysis results of sediment samples from Dunderbukta area (Wedel Jarlsberg Land, West Svalbard) are presented in this paper. The diatom flora consists of four ecological groups, which ratio indicates three ecological zones. These zones show environmental changes of the area in early–middle Holocene that is demonstrating periods of regression and temperature trends.

Estimation of possible climate change impact on methane hydrate in the Arctic Ocean

We study the potential impact of a possible warming in the Arctic Ocean in the 21st century on the methane hydrates stability zone. In order to assess the space-time variability of the ocean bottom temperature, we employ a regional version of a coupled ice-ocean model that has been developed at the Institute of Computational Mathematics and Mathematical Geophysics, Siberian Brunch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This study is based on a combination of the coupled ocean-ice model and a one-dimensional thermal diffusion sediment model. As an atmospheric forcing, some results obtained with CMIP5 climate models simulated with the RCP8.5 scenario (from 2006-2100) are used. We have found that warm North Atlantic water will have a major influence on the Arctic gas hydrates. In such regions as the Barents Sea, the West Svalbard continental margin, and the continental shelf of Norway methane hydrates may exist in shallow waters, where the strongest warming occurs. For this reason, these regions are most vulnerable to releasing methane into the ocean and the atmosphere when the sea water temperature is increased by approximately 2-3 °C. According to our estimates, the seafloor water warming in these areas during the next 100 years may lead to a shift in the upper boundary of the gas hydrates stability zone by 10-110 m.

Keystone Arctic paleoceanographic proxy association with putative methanotrophic bacteria

Foraminifera in sediments exposed to gas-hydrate dissociation are not expected to have cellular adaptations that facilitate inhabitation of chemosynthesis-based ecosystems because, to date, there are no known endemic seep foraminifera. To establish if foraminifera inhabit sediments impacted by gas-hydrate dissociation, we examined the cellular ultrastructure of Melonis barleeanus (Williamson, 1858) from the Vestnesa gas hydrate province (Arctic Ocean, west of Svalbard at ~79 °N; ~1200-m depth; n = 4). From sediments with gas hydrate indicators, living M. barleeanus had unusual pore plugs composed of a thick, fibrous meshwork; mitochondria were concentrated at the cell periphery, under pore plugs. While there was no evidence of endosymbioses with prokaryotes, most M. barleeanus specimens were associated with what appear to be Type I methanotrophic bacteria. One foraminifer had a particularly large bolus of these microbes concentrated near its aperture. This is the first documented instance of bona fide living M. barleeanus in gas-hydrate sediments and first documentation of a foraminifer living in close association with putative methanotrophs. Our observations have implications to paleoclimate records utilizing this foundational foraminiferal species.

Sediments of MIS 5e age suggested by new OSL dates from the Skilvika section, west Svalbard

The sediment succession at Skilvika, west Svalbard, represents one of the key stratigraphic records of the Late Quaternary palaeoenvironments and glaciation history of the Svalbard/Barents Sea area. A formation of raised marine sediments, interfingering with and capped by glacial deposits of local origin, have previously been assumed to be of an Early Weichselian age, likely marine isotope stage (MIS) 5c. Here we present a new series of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages that suggest the events took place in MIS 5e. This advocates a revision of the correlation with other key stratigraphic sites on Svalbard.

Complementary biomarker-based methods for characterising Arctic sea ice conditions: A case study comparison between multivariate analysis and the PIP25 index

The discovery of IP25 as a qualitative biomarker proxy for Arctic sea ice and subsequent introduction of the so-called PIP25 index for semi-quantitative descriptions of sea ice conditions has significantly advanced our understanding of long-term paleo Arctic sea ice conditions over the past decade. We investigated the potential for classification tree (CT) models to provide a further approach to paleo Arctic sea ice reconstruction through analysis of a suite of highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) biomarkers in ca. 200 surface sediments from the Barents Sea. Four CT models constructed using different HBI assemblages revealed IP25 and an HBI triene as the most appropriate classifiers of sea ice conditions, achieving a >90% cross-validated classification rate. Additionally, lower model performance for locations in the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) highlighted difficulties in characterisation of this climatically-sensitive region. CT model classification and semi-quantitative PIP25-derived estimates of spring sea ice concentration (SpSIC) for four downcore records from the region were consistent, although agreement between proxy and satellite/observational records was weaker for a core from the west Svalbard margin, likely due to the highly variable sea ice conditions. The automatic selection of appropriate biomarkers for description of sea ice conditions, quantitative model assessment, and insensitivity to the c-factor used in the calculation of the PIP25 index are key attributes of the CT approach, and we provide an initial comparative assessment between these potentially complementary methods. The CT model should be capable of generating longer-term temporal shifts in sea ice conditions for the climatically sensitive Barents Sea.

Iron-controlled oxidative sulfur cycling recorded in the distribution and isotopic composition of sulfur species in glacially influenced fjord sediments of west Svalbard

This study investigates how glacially delivered reactive iron (oxyhydr)oxide and manganese oxide phases influence the biogeochemical cycling of sulfur in sediments of three Arctic fjords and how the biogeochemical signatures of these processes are preserved. Results reveal differences in the concentrations of dissolved iron and manganese in pore-waters and the concentration of solid-phase sulfur species within individual fjords and amongst the three fjords, likely controlled by the varying input of reactive iron (oxyhydr)oxides to the sediment. Broadly, the stations can be divided into three categories based on their biogeochemical signals. Stations in the first category, located in Smeerenburgfjorden, are characterized by relatively low concentrations of (easily) reducible particulate iron phases, increasing concentrations of iron monosulfides, pyrite, and elemental sulfur with depth, and low pore-water dissolved iron and manganese concentrations. Biogeochemical processes at these stations are primarily driven by organoclastic sulfate reduction, sulfur disproportionation and the subsequent reaction and sequestration of sulfide in the sediment as iron monosulfide and pyrite. Sulfur and oxygen isotope values of sulfate display progressive enrichment in heavy isotopes with depth at these stations. In contrast, concentrations of (easily) reducible particulate iron phases and pore-water dissolved iron (up to 850μM) and manganese (up to 650μM) are very high at stations of the second and third category, located in Kongsfjorden and Van Mijenfjorden, while iron monosulfide and pyrite contents are extremely low. The amount of pyrite and its isotope values in conjunction with organic sulfur compounds provide evidence for a detrital origin of a fraction of these sulfur compounds. At the Kongsfjorden and Van Mijenfjorden stations, oxidative pathways of the sedimentary sulfur cycle, controlled by the high availability of reducible particulate iron phases, play an important role, leading to the effective recycling of sulfide to sulfate through sulfur intermediates and concomitant resupply of the sulfate reservoir with 32S. In both fjords, elemental sulfur was only detected at the outer fjord stations grouped into the third category. Our study provides a framework for interpreting the Fe-S-C geochemistry of similar continental shelf areas in modern settings and ultimately for identifying these environments in the rock record.

Identification of C25 highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) alkenes in diatoms of the genus Rhizosolenia in polar and sub-polar marine phytoplankton

We report the identification of a range of C25 highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) alkenes and certain sterols in filtered phytoplankton samples obtained from western Svalbard (Arctic) and near South Georgia (South Atlantic, sub-Antarctic) in 2016 and 2014, respectively. The C25 HBIs contained 3–5 double bonds and had structures identified previously from analysis of laboratory diatom cultures. The same HBIs were also identified in individual diatom taxa isolated from the mixed assemblages and with reasonably similar distributions. Thus, C25 HBIs were identified in Rhizosolenia setigera isolated from western Svalbard near-surface waters, while the same HBIs were also found in R. polydactyla f. polydactylaand R. hebetata f. semispina picked from seawater collected from a site in the South Atlantic. The main sterol composition was slightly different between the two locations, with cholesta-5,24-dien-3β-ol (desmosterol) identified as one of the major components in the sample from West Svalbard, consistent with the diatom assemblage being dominated by R. setigera. In contrast, the major sterol in the South Atlantic sample was cholesta-5,22-dien-3β-ol (22-dehydrocholesterol), likely reflecting the relatively high proportion of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia. For both locations, the suite of HBIs included a tri-unsaturated isomer (HBI III; 6Z-2,6,10,14-tetramethyl-9-(3′-methylpent-4-enylidene)-pentadec-6-ene), proposed in previous studies as a potential proxy measure of pelagic sea ice-edge conditions, and thus a counterpart to the mono- and di-unsaturated HBIs IP25 and IPSO25, which have been used as seasonal sea ice proxies in the Arctic and Antarctic, respectively. HBI III has been reported previously in sediments from West Svalbard and we report here its occurrence in a small number of surface sediments from the South Atlantic. For both regions, HBI III was present as one of the major HBIs in sediments, which contrasts with the HBI distributions in the filtered phytoplankton samples, where HBIs with four and five double bonds were the major components. Differences in HBI distributions between phytoplankton and sediment samples may potentially be due to the presence of other (unanalysed) diatoms in the filtered water samples, seasonal/annual variability in the production of HBIs by a range of diatoms, differential degradation of HBIs between sources and sediments, or a combination of these. Interestingly, we did not detect any C30 HBIs in the water samples, picked cells or sediments from either location, despite earlier reports of these lipids in laboratory cultures of R. setigera. This study represents the first source identification of certain C25 HBI lipids under in situ pelagic conditions.

Terrimonas crocea sp. nov., isolated from the till of a high Arctic glacier.

A yellow-pigmented bacterial strain, designated M1-33108T, was isolated from the till of high Arctic glacier Midtre Lovénbreen near Ny-Ålesund, in the West Svalbard Archipelago, Norway. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain M1-33108T belonged to the genus Terrimonas and its closest neighbour was Terrimonas arctica R9-86T with 96.12 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Cells of strain M1-33108T were Gram-reaction-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacteria that lacked motility. Cells contained iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, C16 : 0 and summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) as its major cellular fatty acids and menaquinone-7 as the sole respiratory quinone. The polar lipid profile of strain M1-33108T consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, two unknown aminophospholipids, eight unknown aminolipids, an unknown glycolipid and three unknown polar lipids. The DNA G+C content was 45.0 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data, strain M1-33108T is considered to represent a novel species in the genus Terrimonas, for which the name Terrimonas crocea sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is M1-33108T (=CCTCC AB 2016103T=KCTC 52448T).

Variations in pockmark composition at the Vestnesa Ridge: Insights from marine controlled source electromagnetic and seismic data

AbstractThe Vestnesa Ridge marks the northern boundary of a known submarine gas hydrate province in the west Svalbard margin. Several seafloor pockmarks at the eastern segment of the ridge are sites of active methane venting. Until recently, seismic reflection data were the main tool for imaging beneath the ridge. Coincident controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM), high‐resolution two‐dimensional (2‐D) airgun, sweep frequency SYSIF, and three‐dimensional (3‐D) p‐cable seismic reflection data were acquired at the south‐eastern part of the ridge between 2011 and 2013. The CSEM and seismic data contain profiles across and along the ridge, passing several active and inactive pockmarks. Joint interpretation of resistivity models obtained from CSEM and seismic reflection data provides new information regarding the fluid composition beneath the pockmarks. There is considerable variation in transverse resistance and seismic reflection characteristics of the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ) between the ridge flanks and chimneys beneath pockmarks. Layered seismic reflectors on the flanks are associated with around 300 Ωm2 transverse resistance, whereas the seismic reflectors within the chimneys exhibit amplitude blanking and chaotic patterns. The transverse resistance of the GHSZ within the chimneys vary between 400 and 1200 Ωm2. Variance attributes obtained from the 3‐D p‐cable data also highlight faults and chimneys, which coincide with the resistivity anomalies. Based on the joint data interpretation, widespread gas hydrate presence is likely at the ridge, with both hydrates and free gas contained within the faults and chimneys. However, at the active chimneys the effect of gas likely dominates the resistive anomalies.

Distributions of the Arctic sea ice biomarker proxy IP25 and two phytoplanktonic biomarkers in surface sediments from West Svalbard

The concentrations of the sea ice biomarker proxy IP25 (Ice Proxy with 25 carbon atoms) and two phytoplankton biomarkers (a tri-unsaturated highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) lipid (HBI III) and epi-brassicasterol) have been measured in surface sediments from West Svalbard. IP25 concentration exhibited a positive relationship with that of HBI III and epi-brassicasterol, suggesting that the rapidly fluctuating sea ice dynamics characteristic of West Svalbard have a similar impact on these sea ice and phytoplankton lipids, as hypothesised in earlier studies. Alternatively, the multi-year sedimentary signal may simply represent an integration of more subtle variations in biomarker distributions that reflect variability in sea ice conditions on a seasonal or annual timeframe. Our findings contrast with those reported previously for the Barents Sea, possibly due to the latter experiencing a more prominent and consistent sea ice advance/retreat cycle.

Controlled meteorological (CMET) free balloon profiling of the Arctic atmospheric boundary layer around Spitsbergen compared to ERA-Interim and Arctic System Reanalyses

Abstract. Observations from CMET (Controlled Meteorological) balloons are analysed to provide insights into tropospheric meteorological conditions (temperature, humidity, wind) around Svalbard, European High Arctic. Five Controlled Meteorological (CMET) balloons were launched from Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard (Spitsbergen) over 5–12 May 2011 and measured vertical atmospheric profiles over coastal areas to both the east and west. One notable CMET flight achieved a suite of 18 continuous soundings that probed the Arctic marine boundary layer (ABL) over a period of more than 10 h. Profiles from two CMET flights are compared to model output from ECMWF Era-Interim reanalysis (ERA-I) and to a high-resolution (15 km) Arctic System Reanalysis (ASR) product. To the east of Svalbard over sea ice, the CMET observed a stable ABL profile with a temperature inversion that was reproduced by ASR but not captured by ERA-I. In a coastal ice-free region to the west of Svalbard, the CMET observed a stable ABL with strong wind shear. The CMET profiles document increases in ABL temperature and humidity that are broadly reproduced by both ASR and ERA-I. The ASR finds a more stably stratified ABL than observed but captured the wind shear in contrast to ERA-I. Detailed analysis of the coastal CMET-automated soundings identifies small-scale temperature and humidity variations with a low-level flow and provides an estimate of local wind fields. We demonstrate that CMET balloons are a valuable approach for profiling the free atmosphere and boundary layer in remote regions such as the Arctic, where few other in situ observations are available for model validation.

Resistivity image beneath an area of active methane seeps in the west Svalbard continental slope

The Arctic continental margin contains large amounts of methane in the form of methane hydrates. The west Svalbard continental slope is an area where active methane seeps have been reported near the landward limit of the hydrate stability zone. The presence of bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs) on seismic reflection data in water depths greater than 600 m suggests the presence of free gas beneath gas hydrates in the area. Resistivity obtained from marine controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) data provides a useful complement to seismic methods for detecting shallow hydrate and gas as they are more resistive than surrounding water saturated sediments. We acquired two CSEM lines in the west Svalbard continental slope, extending from the edge of the continental shelf (250 m water depth) to water depths of around 800 m. High resistivities (5–12 Ωm) observed above the BSR support the presence of gas hydrate in water depths greater than 600 m. High resistivities (3–4 Ωm) at 390–600 m water depth also suggest possible hydrate occurrence within the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ) of the continental slope. In addition, high resistivities (4–8 Ωm) landward of the GHSZ are coincident with high-amplitude reflectors and low velocities reported in seismic data that indicate the likely presence of free gas. Pore space saturation estimates using a connectivity equation suggest 20–50 per cent hydrate within the lower slope sediments and less than 12 per cent within the upper slope sediments. A free gas zone beneath the GHSZ (10–20 per cent gas saturation) is connected to the high free gas saturated (10–45 per cent) area at the edge of the continental shelf, where most of the seeps are observed. This evidence supports the presence of lateral free gas migration beneath the GHSZ towards the continental shelf.

Seasonal sea ice variability in eastern Fram Strait over the last 2000 years

We present a high-resolution (ca. 50 years) biomarker-based reconstruction of seasonal sea ice conditions for the West Svalbard continental margin covering the last ca. 2k years. Our reconstruction is based on the distributions of sea ice algal (IP25) and phytoplankton (brassicasterol and HBI III) lipids in marine sediment core MSM5/5-712-1 retrieved in 2007. The individual and combined (PIP25) temporal profiles, together with estimates of spring sea ice concentration [SpSIC (%)] based on a recent calibration, suggest that sea ice conditions during the interval ca. 50–1700 AD may not have been as variable as described in previous reconstructions, with SpSIC generally in the range ca. 35–45 %. A slight enhancement in SpSIC (ca. 50 %) was identified at ca. 1600 AD, contemporaneous with the Little Ice Age, before declining steadily over the subsequent ca. 400 years to near-modern values (ca. 25 %). In contrast to these spring conditions, our data suggest that surface waters during summer months were ice free for the entire record. The decline in SpSIC in recent centuries is consistent with the known retreat of the winter ice margin from documentary sea ice records. This decrease in sea ice is possibly attributed to enhanced inflow of warm water delivered by the North Atlantic Current and/or increasing air temperatures, as shown in previous marine and terrestrial records. Comparison of our biomarker-based sea ice reconstruction with one obtained previously based on dinocyst distributions in a core from a similar location reveals partial agreement in the early–mid part of the records (ca. 50–1700 AD), but a notable divergence in the most recent ca. 300 years. We hypothesise that this divergence likely reflects the individual signatures of each proxy method, especially as the biomarker-based SpSIC estimates during this interval ( 50 % sea ice cover) used for the dinocyst approach. Alternatively, divergence between outcomes may indicate seasonality shifts in sea ice conditions, such that a combined biomarker-dinocyst approach in future studies might provide further insights into this important parameter.

Studies of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago water transport and its relationship to basin‐local forcings: Results from AO‐FVCOM

AbstractA high‐resolution (up to 2 km), unstructured‐grid, fully coupled Arctic sea ice‐ocean Finite‐Volume Community Ocean Model (AO‐FVCOM) was employed to simulate the flow and transport through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) over the period 1978–2013. The model‐simulated CAA outflow flux was in reasonable agreement with the flux estimated based on measurements across Davis Strait, Nares Strait, Lancaster Sound, and Jones Sounds. The model was capable of reproducing the observed interannual variability in Davis Strait and Lancaster Sound. The simulated CAA outflow transport was highly correlated with the along‐strait and cross‐strait sea surface height (SSH) difference. Compared with the wind forcing, the sea level pressure (SLP) played a dominant role in establishing the SSH difference and the correlation of the CAA outflow with the cross‐strait SSH difference can be explained by a simple geostrophic balance. The change in the simulated CAA outflow transport through Davis Strait showed a negative correlation with the net flux through Fram Strait. This correlation was related to the variation of the spatial distribution and intensity of the slope current over the Beaufort Sea and Greenland shelves. The different basin‐scale surface forcings can increase the model uncertainty in the CAA outflow flux up to 15%. The daily adjustment of the model elevation to the satellite‐derived SSH in the North Atlantic region outside Fram Strait could produce a larger North Atlantic inflow through west Svalbard and weaken the outflow from the Arctic Ocean through east Greenland.

Shelf/fjord exchange driven by coastal‐trapped waves in the Arctic

AbstractIn this article, we show that the class of low frequency (subinertial) waves known as coastal‐trapped waves (CTWs) are a significant agent of water volume exchange in a west Svalbard fjord, and by extension more widely along the west Svalbard and east Greenland margins where similar conditions prevail. We show that CTWs generated by weather systems passing across the sloping topography of the shelf break propagate into the fjord, steered by the topography of an across‐shelf trough. The CTWs have characteristic periods of ∼2 days, set by the passage time of weather systems. Phase speeds and wavelengths vary seasonally by a factor of two, according to stratification: winter (summer) values are Cp = 0.25 ms−1 (0.5 ms−1) and λ = 40 km (84 km). CTW‐induced flow velocities in excess of 0.2 ms−1 at 100 m water depth are recorded. Observationally scaled CTW model results allow their explicit role in volume exchange to be quantified. Of the estimated exchange terms, estuarine exchange is weakest ( m3s−1), followed by barotropic tidal pumping ( m3s−1), with intermediary exchange dominating ( m3s−1). Oscillatory flows display greatest activity in the 1–5 day period band, and CTW activity is identified as the likely source of variability in the 40–60 h period band. Within that band, intermediary exchange driven by CTWs is estimated as m3s−1; an exchange rate exceeding both barotropic and estuarine exchange estimates.

Marine sedimentary record of Meltwater Pulse 1a along the NW Barents Sea continental margin

The upper continental slope of the Storfjorden-Kveithola Trough Mouth Fans (NW Barents Sea) contains a several m-thick late Pleistocene sequence of plumites composed of laminated mud interbedded with sand/silt layers. Radiocarbon ages revealed that deposition occurred during about 130 years at a very high sedimentation rate of 3.4 cm a−1, at about 7 km from the present shelf break. Palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic analyses confirm the existence of a prominent, short-living sedimentary event. The plumites appear laterally continuous and were correlated with the sedimentary sequences described west of Svalbard and neighboring glacial depositional systems representing a major event at regional scale appointed to correspond to the deep-sea sedimentary record of Meltwater Pulse-1a. We also present new sedimentological and geochemical insights, and multi-beam data adding information on the palaeoenvironmental characteristics during MWP-1a and ice sheet decay in the NW Barents Sea.

A joint electromagnetic and seismic study of an active pockmark within the hydrate stability field at the Vestnesa Ridge, West Svalbard margin

AbstractWe acquired coincident marine controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM), high‐resolution seismic reflection and ocean‐bottom seismometer (OBS) data over an active pockmark in the crest of the southern part of the Vestnesa Ridge, to estimate fluid composition within an underlying fluid‐migration chimney. Synthetic model studies suggest resistivity obtained from CSEM data can resolve gas or hydrate saturation greater than 5% within the chimney. Acoustic chimneys imaged by seismic reflection data beneath the pockmark and on the ridge flanks were found to be associated with high‐resistivity anomalies (+2–4 Ωm). High‐velocity anomalies (+0.3 km/s), within the gas‐hydrate stability zone (GHSZ) and low‐velocity anomalies (−0.2 km/s) underlying the GHSZ, were also observed. Joint analysis of the resistivity and velocity anomaly indicates pore saturation of up to 52% hydrate with 28% free gas, or up to 73% hydrate with 4% free gas, within the chimney beneath the pockmark assuming a nonuniform and uniform fluid distribution, respectively. Similarly, we estimate up to 30% hydrate with 4% free gas or 30% hydrate with 2% free gas within the pore space of the GHSZ outside the central chimney assuming a nonuniform and uniform fluid distribution, respectively. High levels of free‐gas saturation in the top part of the chimney are consistent with episodic gas venting from the pockmark.