Long-lived Isotopic Tracers in Oceanography, Paleoceanography, and Ice-sheet Dynamics

TLDR: The application of strontium, neodymium, and lead isotopes for tracing the sources of continental detritus brought to the oceans by icebergs and implications for the history of the North Atlantic ice sheets is discussed in this article.

Abstract: This chapter focuses on the basis for using authigenic neodymium, lead, and hafnium isotopes in oceanography and paleoceanography. In particular, it reviews in detail the currently available data on neodymium isotopes in the oceans in order to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses as an oceanographic tracer and a proxy to investigate paleocirculation. Neodymium isotope ratios are highlighted because lead isotopes in the present day oceans are contaminated by anthropogenic input, and dissolved hafnium thus far has not been measured. This chapter only gives a cursory summary of the results of studies on Fe–Mn crusts. This chapter also summarizes the application of strontium, neodymium, and lead isotopes for tracing the sources of continental detritus brought to the oceans by icebergs and implications for the history of the North Atlantic ice sheets.