Holocene paleoceanography and climate variability in the Western Canadian Arctic Ocean: insights from neodymium, protactinium and thorium isotopes

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The long-term objective of this northern research supplement program is to better improve the paleoceanographic interpretation of both neodymium (Nd) isotopes and sedimentary protactinium/thorium (231Pa/230Th) ratios in the Western Canadian Arctic region. This long-term objective is paramount to validate and better interpret the results of my NSERC Discovery Grant program. To achieve this goal, I plan to compare Nd-isotopes and 231Pa/230Th measurements extracted of core-top sediments, seawater and suspended particles collected from different water depths in the Western Canadian Arctic Ocean. Therefore, in the present proposal, funds are requested to cover the high costs related to acquiring these sediment cores, seawater, and suspended particles from the continental margin of the Canadian Beaufort Sea on board the Canadian Coast Guard Ships in collaboration with ArcticNet network investigators. This northern research supplement program, together with my Discovery Grant, will provide new evidence on the different processes (e.g., boundary exchange, sea ice extent, Arctic Ocean circulation) that may impact the chemistry of seawater in the Western Canadian Arctic Ocean, as well as novel data at high temporal resolution (centennial to millennial scales) that will allow reconstructing the natural evolution and variability of climatic and oceanographic conditions in the Western Canadian Arctic Ocean during the last 10,000 years. A better understanding of past climate and oceanographic variations, better future predictions and general ocean circulation model validation will help Canada's government to implement adaptation and mitigation strategies to future climate changes in the Canadian Arctic region. This Arctic research program will also contribute with the training of the Arctic specialists needed to maintain the study and stewardship of a changing Arctic Ocean. Likewise, during each Arctic expedition, several educational activities will be scheduled in the Aurora College Community Learning Centre in Inuvik, to inform the northern communities on the natural variability in the Arctic climate-ocean system during the last 10,000 years, as well as their potential trends caused by anthropogenic climate forcing.