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Freshwater Seepage Into Sediments of the Shelf, Shelf Edge, and Continental Slope of the Canadian Beaufort Sea

The continental shelf of the Canadian Beaufort Sea is investigated to see if it is causing decomposition of relict offshore subsea permafrost and gas hydrates.

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field Value
Creator R. Gwiazda, C. K. Paull, S. R. Dallimore, H. Melling, Y. K. Jin, J. K. Hong, M. Riedel, E. Lundsten, K. Anderson, K. Conway
Summary Long-term warming of the continental shelf of the Canadian Beaufort Sea caused by the transgression associated with the last deglaciation may be causing decomposition of relict offshore subsea permafrost and gas hydrates. To evaluate this possibility, pore waters from 118 sediment cores up to 7.3-m long were taken on the shelf and slope and analyzed for chloride concentrations and δ180 and δD composition. The results confirm ongoing decomposition of offshore permafrost and suggest extensive current groundwater discharge far from the coast.
Local Relevance The continental shelf of the Canadian Beaufort Sea may be a major source of subsea permafrost and gas hydrate decomposition, which would impact our understanding of the extent of landscape carbon storage in the NWT, and its potential to be released into the atmosphere.
Notes
Tags Permafrost,Research,Geology,Chemistry
Geographic Region Beaufort Delta
Release Date 2018-08-16
Last Modified Date 2018-08-16
Funding Program