Research project Redefining the Arctic Ocean Mercury C ycle: New Insights into Mercury Loading and Burial Processes

Arctic Ocean sediments may store valuable information that may help us to redefine the Arctic biogeochemical cycle of mercury. In this project, we will i) identifying and mapping sources of Hg in AO sediments and ii) generating a better understanding of Hg burial processes. To identify the sources of Hg, we will determine and evaluate natural isotopic signatures of Hg in surface sediment collected from Arctic Ocean’s different shelf seas and terrestrial endmembers. We will then quantify these sources by evaluating the distribution of Hg source proportions along with already generated maps of Hg burial rates. To generate a better understanding of Hg burial processes, we will evaluate the circumarctic distribution of Hg source proportions together with existing maps of organic carbon sources. Through these actions, we will be able to address critical uncertainties that currently prevent us from understanding future risks of Arctic Hg.