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

Purpose: 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.

研究目的：源自太平洋、大西洋的水体，或是经北极河流注入的水体，可通过其独特的化学特征加以区分。具体而言，太平洋水体具有独特的钕同位素组成（neodymium isotopic composition），该特征由环太平洋地区占主导的年轻火山岩风化作用所赋予。太平洋水体的放射性成因同位素特征（radiogenic isotopic signature，即高143Nd/144Nd比值），与大西洋水体及流域以古老大陆地壳为主的河流（如马更些河（Mackenzie River））形成鲜明反差。钕同位素（Nd isotopes）可用于识别加拿大海盆（Canada Basin）的深水团来源，并追踪途经北冰洋的太平洋水体的运移路径与混合过程。