Rare Earth Elements in the Southern Ocean: The Significance of West Antarctic Melting

Basak Chandranath; Johnson Laura; Sherrell Robert; Herbert Lisa; Steffen Janelle; Fitzsimmons Jessica; Chinni Venkatesh

doi:10.14862/geochemproc.72.0_46

Abstracts of Annual Meeting of the Geochemical Society of Japan

DOI https://doi.org/10.14862/geochemproc.72.0_46

Conference information

Host: Abstracts of Annual Meeting of the Geochemical Society of Japan

Name : Abstracts of Annual Meeting of the Geochemical Society of Japan

Number : 72

Date : September 07, 2025 - September 19, 2025

Rare Earth Elements in the Southern Ocean: The Significance of West Antarctic Melting

*Basak Chandranath, Johnson Laura, Sherrell Robert, Herbert Lisa, Steffen Janelle, Fitzsimmons Jessica, Chinni Venkatesh

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Keywords: Polar Oceanography, Rare Earth Elements, Biogeochemical Cycles

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS

Pages 46-

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Abstract

Changes in global climate have accelerated ice loss in Antarctica, where the highest melt rates are found in the Amundsen Sea (AS), West Antarctica. Ice mass loss results from the incursion of relatively warm modified Circumpolar Deep Water (mCDW), which flows under the fringing ice shelves, including the Dotson Ice Shelf (DIS). Here, we report dissolved REE concentrations, with an emphasis on Nd, and Nd isotopes from nine stations located off of the DIS. We show REE enrichment near between ~ 300-400 meters, within the depth range of maximum outflow velocities and meltwater fractions. This implications has significance in the context of REE contribution from Antarctic glacial melting.

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