Palynological studies on the western Arctic paleoenvironmental changes

Abstract

The Arctic environments have experienced dramatic and rapid changes. One of the most remarkable features can be observed in the Arctic sea ice coverage, which shows a rapid change in its extent and thickness during the last three decades. Recent rapid reduction in the sea ice extent is related to a major shift in the Arctic atmospheric and oceanic circulations, which plays a crucial role in regulating the global earth's climate. Of particular interest is the sea ice change in the western Arctic, which is considered as a key parameter in past climate changes in Arctic and subarctic regions controlling the intensity and direction of sea ice drifts in the Beaufort Gyre and Transpolar Drift area, and consequently regulating sea-ice and freshwater exports toward the North Atlantic. However, records of the past sea ice changes in the western Arctic especially on centennial to millennial scales have not been well-computed in climate models due to the rarity of suitable marine sedimentary records. Remnants of microscopic organisms in marine sediments such as spore, pollen and dinoflagellate cysts have been suggested as a useful tool for reconstructing palaeoclimate conditions in the western Arctic, inferring the past terrestrial environment and sea surface conditions such as sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity and the sea ice extent. 2011 Arctic research expedition (ARA02B) to the western Arctic Oce Recent rapid reduction in the sea ice extent is related to a major shift in the Arctic atmospheric and oceanic circulations, which plays a crucial role in regulating the global earth's climate. Of particular interest is the sea ice change in the western Arctic, which is considered as a key parameter in past climate changes in Arctic and subarctic regions controlling the intensity and direction of sea ice drifts in the Beaufort Gyre and Transpolar Drift area, and consequently regulating sea-ice and freshwater exports toward the North Atlantic. How