Neodymium (Nd) isotopic ratio in the seawater of the Beaufort Sea at 3 stations sampled in 2009

Water originating from the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean or added by Arctic rivers can be distinguished from distinct chemical signatures. In particular, Pacific waters have a different neodymium isotopic composition, which is imparted by the weathering of young volcanic rocks, which dominates the geology of the Pacific Rim. The 'radiogenic' isotopic signature (i.e. high 143Nd/144Nd) of Pacific waters stand in sharp contrast to that of Atlantic waters and rivers whose drainage basin is dominated by old continental crust, such as the Mackenzie River. Nd isotopes are used to identify of origin of deep water in Canada Basin and to trace the course and mixing of Pacific Water transiting through the Arctic Ocean.