Yellowstone Thermal Feature Mercury and Methylmercury Characterization

Data in this data release were obtained from water samples collected under Yellowstone National Park (YNP) Research Permit YELL-05194 in 2017, 2019, and 2020 through the Integrated Yellowstone Studies Project funded by the Mineral Resources Program. These samples were used to assess mercury cycling within YNP. Water samples were analyzed for total mercury and methylmercury, the bioaccumulated form in food webs. This data informs the biogeochemical processes controlling the broad range of mercury and methylmercury concentrations observed in the park. Natural abundance mercury stable isotopes were also collected to determine if mercury sources or cycling processes varied between different hydrothermal sources. Data produced as part of this study outlines how the different physicochemical processes, including mixing between meteoric and hydrothermal waters, boiling, and sorption, affect mercury isotope values in YNP.

本数据集发布的数据，取自2017、2019及2020年依托矿产资源计划（Mineral Resources Program）资助的综合黄石研究项目（Integrated Yellowstone Studies Project），依据黄石国家公园（Yellowstone National Park, YNP）许可编号YELL-05194采集的水样。本次采集的水样用于评估黄石国家公园内的汞循环过程。研究对水样中的总汞（total mercury）以及食物网中具有生物累积特性的甲基汞（methylmercury）进行了分析。本数据集可为阐明控制园区内广泛分布的汞与甲基汞浓度的生物地球化学过程（biogeochemical processes）提供科学依据。此外，本研究还采集了天然丰度汞稳定同位素（mercury stable isotopes）数据，以探究不同热液源（hydrothermal sources）间的汞来源或循环过程是否存在差异。本研究生成的数据阐明了包括大气降水（meteoric water）与热液（hydrothermal water）混合、沸腾以及吸附作用在内的多种物理化学过程（physicochemical processes），如何影响黄石国家公园内的汞同位素特征。