ALBERT

Description: Palynological and sedimentological analyses were performed on the sediment core HH16-1205-GC retrieved from the central Isfjorden, West Spitsbergen in order to retrace the climate of the last 7000 years. The record revealed an overall cooling trend with an important climate shift between 4.4 and 3.8 cal. ka BP, and millennial-scale oscillations. Over the last 7000 years, sea-surface reconstruction from dinocyst assemblages indicates a decrease in summer sea-surface temperature, from 2.5 to 1.5 °C, and primary productivity, from 750 to 650 gC m-² a-1. Predominant sediment supply from the inner part of the fjord, ice rafting, dense sea-ice cover, strongly stratified water masses, and high primary productivity is observed in the sedimentological and palynological data between 6.8 and 5.8 cal. ka BP. The interval from 4.4 to 3.8 cal. ka BP is marked by a layer of coarser material followed by a significant decrease in the grain size mode, as well as changes in geochemical properties. large-amplitude fluctuations is observed in our geochemical data after 2.0 cal. ka BP, while an increase of the dinocysts Impagidinium pallidum and Spiniferites elongatus from 2.0 to 1.2 cal. ka BP suggests enhanced Atlantic Water inflow. The sea surface conditions reconstructions and XRF ratios also reveal large-amplitude millennial fluctuations. Wavelet analysis and cross-wavelet analysis performed on multiple variables confirm a strong cyclic signal with a periodicity of 1200 to 1500 years.

Description: Sediments and rocks recovered in CRP-1 coring operations contain relatively little organic matter (average 0.4% TOC) and very small amounts of solvent-soluble organic matter ( average 60 µg bitumen/g rock). The kerogen recovered from these rocks has atomic H:C ratios that range from 0.7 to 1.0 and atomic O:C ratios that range from 0.14-0.22. This range of values could be produced by mixing coal detritus with aquatic organic matter. Coal with the O:C ratios necessary to produce the kerogen present in the CRP-1 samples occurs in outcrops of the Permian Beacon Supergroup proximal to the drillsite.

Description: The XRD data has been gained from pulverized and homogenized samples of every 5 cm by KOPRI personal at KOPRI and University of Tromsoe sampling parties. XRD raw measurements were run at Crystallography, Geosciences, University of Bremen in 2018-2020. Measurement conditions: Philips X'Pert Diffractometer, Cu radiation, fixed divergence, secoundary Ni filter, 3-85 ° 2theta, 0.0016° step size, 100 sec calculated step time. XRD mineral assemblage determination were subsequently gained through the QUAX full pattern quantitative determination software (see Vogt et al. 2002 at Pangaea methods wiki). The software allows for differentiation of all minerals. Here, the Fe-oxides and hydroxides were in the focus of the research manuscript. A QXRD investigation allows for not only identification of mineral content but also for detailing authigenic vs. allochthonous minerals, transport of detrital input to the sediment core and the interpretation of the transport processes and the local environment as well as the paleoceanographic reconstruction of the region. Sediment ages are given through the below mentioned data sets. A series of fjord surface sediments were collected from various Svalbard fjord systems during expeditions of RV Helmer Hanssen from UiT The Arctic University of Norway between 2012 and 2019 (Fig. 1). Four gravity cores were retrieved along a 150 km long N‒S transect from the continental shelf off northern Svalbard to the innermost Wijdefjorden: core HH17-1085-GC (hereafter 1085; 80.27°N, 16.21°E, 322 m water depth; continental shelf), HH17-1094-GC (hereafter 1094; 79.74°N, 15.42°E, 148 m water depth; fjord mouth), HH17-1100-GC (hereafter 1100; 79.30°N, 15.78°E, 112 m water depth; central fjord), and HH17-1106-GC (hereafter 1106; 79.00°N, 16.21°E, 160 m water depth; inner fjord)

Description: Sediments and rocks recovered in CRP-2/2A coring operations contain relatively little organic matter (average TOC=0.28%) and very small amounts of solvent-soluble organic matter. Because Early Oligocene sediment included significant amounts of coal detritus, TOC values are higher in Early Oligocene rocks than in younger rocks. TOC values are highest in the fine-grained rocks deposited as part of the highstand systems tract (HST) and TOC values decrease from the bottom to the top of the HST. The TOC:TN ratios observed in the CRP-2/2A core typically exceed 10, and are strong evidence that the preserved organic matter comprises a mixture of detrital coal and aquatic organic matter. Solvent-soluble organic matter comprises autochthonous bitumen derived from aquatic organic matter, allochthonous bitumen derived from deeper sedimentary rocks, and recycled bitumen derived from coal detritus.