The study’s results hold promise that the implementation of anti-pollution measures under the Minamata Convention will likely result in a faster decrease of oceanic mercury levels than previously thought.
Nov / 18 / 2021
Isotopes
Isotopic chromium variations do not always reflect the occurrence of low oxygenated waters
Dissolved chromium (Cr) in the ocean is present under two oxidation states: The oxidized and soluble Cr (VI) and the reduced more reactive Cr (III). Reduction of Cr (VI) to […]
Mar / 19 / 2019
Using the three thorium isotope toolbox to probe the particle dynamic within an East Pacific Rise hydrothermal plume
The insoluble radiogenic isotopes of thorium (Th) are produced at a known rate in the water column via the decay of soluble uranium (234Th, 230Th) and radium (228Th) isotopes. These […]
Feb / 07 / 2019
The circulation loop in the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans depicted by the artificial radionuclides
Three articles from three cruises highlighted here! Atlantic waters have been recently recognized to play an increasing role in reducing sea-ice extent in the Arctic Ocean at a rate now […]
Jan / 30 / 2019
Cadmium isotopes, tracers of the cadmium sequestration as cadmium sulphide in oxygen minimum zone?
The linear relationship between the seawater cadmium and phosphate dissolved concentrations lead to use the cadmium/calcium (Cd/Ca) imprinted in calcareous archives to reconstruct the past phosphate (PO4) distributions. However, variations […]
Jan / 07 / 2019
Local geologies imprint the Antarctic Bottom Water neodymium isotopic signatures
Dissolved neodymium (Nd) isotopes and concentrations were measured at six stations in the Australian sector of the Southern Ocean, targeting the study of the Adelie Land Bottom Water (ALBW), a […]
Dec / 11 / 2018
More realistic oceanic particle field improved the thorium-230 and protactinium-231 modeling
Thorium-230 (230Th) and protactinium-231 (231Pa) are two geochemical tracers extensively used for investigating particle transport in the ocean and reconstructing past ocean circulation. A key feature in reproducing their distributions by […]
Dec / 10 / 2018
Helium-3 plumes in the deep Indian Ocean confirm hydrothermal activity
Thanks to samples collected as part of the Japanese GEOTRACES cruise in 2009 – 2010, along section GI04, Takahata and co-workers (2018, see reference below) identified a maximum helium-3 ratios […]
Oct / 23 / 2018
The role of melting-ice in driving the slowdown of circulation in the western Atlantic Ocean revealed by protactinium-thorium ratio
Abrupt climate changes in the past have been attributed to variations in Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) strength. Knowing the exact timing and magnitude of the AMOC shift is important […]
Oct / 19 / 2018
Environmental changes in the Arctic Ocean are occurring now!
Radium-228 increase in the central Arctic (2007 to 2015), is attributed to stronger wave action on shelves due to a longer ice-free season.
Sep / 22 / 2018
Influence of particle composition on the rate constants of thorium adsorption
Chemical species are constantly exchanged between seawater (solution, D) and particles (solid material, P). This continuous D-P exchange is a key process determining the chemical composition of the ocean. Particles […]
Sep / 04 / 2018
Contrasting fates of the cadmium-cadmium isotopes in the Kuroshio and Oyashio environmental systems
Yang et al. (2018, see reference below) studied the relative importance of physical and biogeochemical processes on controlling the isotopic composition of dissolved and particulate cadmium (Cd) in a GP18 […]
Jul / 18 / 2018
Labile particulate iron isotopic signatures trace hydrothermal and margin inputs down to the benthic layers in the Eastern Pacific Ocean
For the first time, labile and total particulate iron (pFe) isotopic signatures were measured along a full depth oceanographic section (more than 200 0.8-51 µm-sized particles) in the Eastern Pacific […]
Jun / 06 / 2018
Revelations from the dissolved 226Ra-228Ra pair distribution in the South East Pacific Ocean
They show that radium-228 data coupled to the dissolved iron, cobalt and manganese provide evidence that lateral transport of sediments from continental margins.
Jun / 05 / 2018
Why did the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide rise so much and so quickly during the last deglaciation?
During the Last Glacial Maximum, the deep southern Pacific waters were stratified, efficiently accumulating old, CO2 rich waters. Basak and co-authors (2018, see reference below) measured neodymium isotopes in sediment […]
Mar / 06 / 2018
Climate change induced spectacular increase of the land-ocean inputs in the Arctic Ocean
Measurements of radium-228 (228Ra) in the framework of the 2015 U.S. GEOTRACES Arctic Transect (GN01), revealed that the surface water content of this tracer has almost doubled over the last […]
Jan / 09 / 2018
New neodymium concentration and isotopic data from the West Pacific Ocean
In the framework of the GEOTRACES TransGeoBioOc process study (GPpr04), seawater samples were collected at 12 stations (and up to 17 depths per stations) along the SO223T cruise transect from […]
Dec / 06 / 2017
Barium isotope measurements help constraining the oceanic barium cycle
Hsieh and Henderson (2017, see reference below) propose a compilation of the oceanic barium (Ba) concentrations together with its isotopic profiles measured so far. Their review covers the main oceanic […]
Oct / 19 / 2017
Short-Term Variability of Dissolved Rare Earth Elements and Neodymium Isotopes in the Entire Water Column of the Panama Basin
Patricia Grasse and co-workers (2017, see reference below) present new dissolved neodymium isotope compositions (εNd) and rare earth element (REE) concentrations from the Panama Basin. REE concentrations peak at the […]
Oct / 05 / 2017
Surprising cadmium isotope results north of the Subantarctic Front in the South West Atlantic Ocean
Xie and co-workers (2017, see reference below) report cadmium (Cd) isotopic compositions from five stations and 15 tow-Fish surface waters from 50ºS to the equator along GEOTRACES GA02 Leg 3. […]
Jun / 01 / 2017
GEOTRACES intercalibration of the stable silicon isotope composition of dissolved silicic acid in seawater
Dissolved silicon (Si) is a major oceanic nutrient and variations of its stable isotope values are reflecting the intensity of surface primary production. As for other isotopes, agreement between the […]
Apr / 14 / 2017
Disentangling the paleo signals brought by neodymium isotopic composition
Which paleo information are traced by the imprint neodymium isotopic signatures (εNd) in the different archives: paleo circulation or paleo erosion? The scientific debate on this issue is opened for […]
Apr / 12 / 2017
Contrasting lithogenic inputs from North Atlantic to North Pacific Oceans traced by thorium isotopes
Dissolved thorium (Th) isotopes and iron (Fe) are used to document the transfer of lithogenic material to the ocean. Two contrasting areas are compared: the Atlantic Ocean around Barbados Islands, […]
Mar / 23 / 2017
What constrains the hydrothermal dissolved iron isotopic signatures?
Assessing the processes leading to dissolved iron (dFe) isotope fractionation in a hydrothermal plume is a key question, because it allows a better characterization of this specific source of dFe […]
Feb / 21 / 2017
Dissolved neodymium isotopes and Rare Earth Elements combined with oxygen isotopes trace water masses in the Fram Strait
Georgi Laukert and co-workers (2017, see reference below) provide new insights into the sources, distribution and mixing of water masses passing the Fram Strait, the gateway between the Arctic Ocean […]
Feb / 02 / 2017
Dissolved iron isotopes reveal that distinct processes are controlling this micronutrient distribution in the ocean
Abadie and co-workers propose new dissolved iron concentration and isotopic composition distributions (DFe and ICFe respectively) along the Bonus-Goodhope IPY section (GIPY4), in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. […]
Jan / 16 / 2017
Water mass circulation and weathering inputs in the Labrador Sea based on coupled hafnium-neodymium isotope compositions and rare earth element distributions
Filippova and co-authors (2017, see reference below) show distinct water mass signatures in the Labrador Sea revealed by combined dissolved hafnium (Hf) and neodymium (Nd) isotope compositions and REE distribution […]
Jan / 13 / 2017
Testament of the efficiency of environmental policies
Bridgestock and his co-workers reveal for the first time that natural lead can be detected again in the surface water of the North Atlantic.
Oct / 05 / 2016
Lithogenic influence from the Hawaiian Islands detectable up to Station ALOHA surface waters
By coupling neodymium (Nd) and radium (Ra) isotopes and Rare Earth Element (REE) signals, Henning Fröllje and co-workers (2016, see reference below) show that the coastal Hawaiian waters are affected […]
Sep / 08 / 2016
Inference about rates of thorium and particle cycling in the ocean water column
Insoluble thorium (Th) isotopes are particle reactive while their radioactive parents are fairly soluble. This difference of behaviour has allowed chemical oceanographers to use Th isotopes to develop understanding about […]
Aug / 30 / 2016