Speaker: Molly Keogh, NSF postdoc, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University

Topic: Polar mud on the move: is lead-210 a useful sediment tracer at high latitudes?

Polar warming drives coastal erosion and increases sediment delivery to the coastal ocean, affecting ecosystem processes ranging from primary productivity to carbon sequestration. In polar regions, however, one of the most globally reliable sediment tracers (Pb-210) has yielded mixed results. To understand the distribution and usefulness of Pb-210 at high latitudes, we combine published data with new analyses of polar sediment cores archived at OSU’s Marine and Geology Repository. Results will provide the first systematic study of Arctic and Antarctic sediment accretion. Improving the tools we use to track changes in sedimentation will illuminate how climate change is impacting polar coastlines and marine environments, and what local communities should expect in the future.