Earth Sciences

A 1500-year record of mercury isotopes in seal feces documents sea ice changes in the Antarctic

H. Liu, W. Zheng, et al.

This groundbreaking research by Hongwei Liu, Wang Zheng, Bridget A. Bergquist, Yuesong Gao, Fange Yue, Lianjiao Yang, Liguang Sun, and Zhouqing Xie reveals the intricate relationship between mercury isotopes and historical sea ice fluctuations in Antarctica. Their study offers fascinating insights into how seal activities have influenced the sediment profile over the last 1500 years, shedding light on past environmental conditions.

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Abstract

This study investigates the mercury isotopic composition of a 1500-year sediment profile from the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, heavily influenced by seal activities. The mass-independent isotope fractionation of mercury (Δ¹⁹⁹Hg) reflects changes in methylmercury photodemethylation, a process modulated by sea ice. Higher Δ¹⁹⁹Hg values during a warm period (-700 to -1000 years ago) indicate increased photodemethylation due to reduced sea ice. This demonstrates the use of mercury isotopes as a proxy for reconstructing historical sea ice changes in the Antarctic.

Publisher

Communications Earth & Environment

Published On

Jul 14, 2023

Authors

Hongwei Liu, Wang Zheng, Bridget A. Bergquist, Yuesong Gao, Fange Yue, Lianjiao Yang, Liguang Sun, Zhouqing Xie

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