Project: Collaborative Research: How and Why eNd Tracks Ocean Circulation

NSF Award Abstract:
Circulation of water is a fundamental trait of the oceans that impacts its physics, chemistry and biology; however, understanding modern and past patterns of circulation - especially in the vast bodies of deep water - is challenging because global circulation defies direct measurement. The problems with direct measurement largely stem from the vast scales of space and time that are of interest in understanding global circulation. One tool for estimating global circulation patterns that holds promise is seen in neodymium isotopes which appear to be powerful tracers of deep ocean circulation, over a variety of timescales. Unfortunately, the elemental behavior of neodymium contrasts the isotopic behavior of neodymium in the oceans, a puzzle branded the "neodymium paradox." This inconsistency of geochemical behavior opens to question the application of neodymium isotopes as a tracer of circulation. Therefore, scientists from Oregon State University, Tulane University, and Bigelow Laboratory of Ocean Sciences propose to test the hypothesis that there is a yet unconstrained (even poorly identified) source of neodymium to the oceans that can explain the discrepancies seen between the elemental and isotopic neodymium marine budgets. The scientists further seek to understand the mechanistic cause of this source and thus be able to start making global constraints on its influence. Understanding these processes will fundamentally change our interpretations of neodymium data and allow us to more accurately quantify ocean circulation with a greater degree of confidence. For outreach activities, the scientists plan to participate in open house days held at Oregon State University, da Vinci days, National Ocean Science Bowls, Salmon Bowl and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences' Cafe Scientifique. Undergraduate students and one graduate student from Tulane University would be supported and trained as part of this project.

Scientists from Oregon State University, Tulane University, and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences propose to test the hypothesis that there is a benthic source of neodymium (Nd) to the oceans that exerts a primary control over the distribution of this element and its isotopes (eNd) in the ocean. This benthic flux results from early diagenetic reactions that release rare earth elements (REEs) from the solid phase to pore fluid. The scientists contend this flux will explain eNd distributions throughout the modern and past global oceans. The planned research will be guided by three questions:

(1) What are the mechanisms that control the magnitude and isotope composition of the benthic flux?
(2) What are the relationships among bottom water, pore fluid, and the terminal solid phase compositions? Particularly, how and under what chemical conditions does an eNd signature become part of a preserved archival record of [Nd] and eNd?
(3) Can our understanding of the deep water benthic fluxes account for the integrated bottom water eNd as a function of apparent water mass age and circulation path (e.g., how do the pore fluid and solid phase values reconcile with the existing water column signature and water mass age data)?

To test these ideas, sediments and their pore fluids will be collected from a diverse set of deep sea sites in the Pacific Ocean that reflect slow-to-fast sedimentation rates, carbonate-, terrigenous-, volcaniclastic- and siliceous-sediment, and low-to-high organic carbon. The sediments and porewater samples, as well as samples from the overlying water column will be characterized for the following parameters: major, minor, and trace metals, Nd isotopes, carbonate chemistry, oxygen, nutrients, particulate organic carbon, particulate organic nitrogen, radiocarbon, porosity, and grain size. With these observations we will build a quantitative numeric geochemical model (e.g., PHREEQC, Geochemist's Workbench, Humic Ion Binding Model) that can capture the cardinal controls over the benthic source. Our goal is to provide a new interpretive framework for Nd and eNd, such that we can offer quantitative estimates of benthic fluxes for use in models of global circulation. This work has potentially transformative implications on our understanding and application of REEs and Nd isotope data in both the modern and ancient oceans.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.