Provenance of clay-sized detrital sediments in the North Sea and the Skagerrak region based on radiogenic Nd-Sr-Hf isotopes and clay mineral compositions: assessing the impact of coastal and seabed erosion

• DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1416519
• Publication Date: 2024-07-01T05:03:38Z
• Authors: Nina Lenz; Timo Spiegel; Ed Hathorne; Klaus Wallmann; Anton Eisenhauer; Martin Frank
• Keywords: Radiogenic nuclide; Seabed; Silt

The Skagerrak basin represents the main sink area for fine-grained sediment in North Sea region and constitutes a natural deposition center sediments that are supplied from Atlantic, Baltic surrounding continental margins coasts. However, exact sources their proportional contributions to deposits not well understood. To trace predominant of gain better understanding sedimentary processes basin, radiogenic Sr, Nd, Hf isotope signatures clay mineral compositions detrital fraction surface samples Sea, Scandinavian were measured. results indicate major source clay-size is northern but Scandinavia as southern including England coast also contribute material. Seabed coastal erosion enhanced by inflowing Atlantic Currents, which provide with high amounts size sediments. In contrast, mid-European rivers such Weser, Elbe Ems only minor contributors. As dominated sized material (up 60%), reconstructed this study deviate findings previous budget studies, based on both silt indicated influences Sea. These highlight seabed previously underestimated depocenters entire With regard climate change, global sea-level rise will likely enhance erosional can therefore significantly influence