Seasonal and Morphological Controls on Nitrate Retention in Arctic Deltas

Abstract Estimates of nitrate loading to the Arctic Ocean are limited by the lack of field observations within deltas partly due to logistical constraints. To overcome this limitation, we use a remote sensing framework to estimate retention of nitrate in Arctic deltas. We achieve this by coupling hy...

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Main Authors: Deon Knights, Anastasia Piliouras, Jon Schwenk, Jayaram Hariharan, Christopher Russoniello
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-04-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL102201
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author Deon Knights
Anastasia Piliouras
Jon Schwenk
Jayaram Hariharan
Christopher Russoniello
author_facet Deon Knights
Anastasia Piliouras
Jon Schwenk
Jayaram Hariharan
Christopher Russoniello
author_sort Deon Knights
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Estimates of nitrate loading to the Arctic Ocean are limited by the lack of field observations within deltas partly due to logistical constraints. To overcome this limitation, we use a remote sensing framework to estimate retention of nitrate in Arctic deltas. We achieve this by coupling hydrological and biogeochemical process models at the network scale for five major Arctic deltas. Binary masks of delta channels were used to simulate flow direction and magnitude through networks. Models were parameterized using historical and seasonal observations. Simulated nitrate retention ranged from 2.9% to 15% of the incoming load. Retention rates were largest during winter but smallest during spring conditions when increased discharges export large nitrate masses to the coast. Under future climate scenarios, retention rates fall by ∼1%–10%. Arctic deltas have an important effect on the magnitude of nitrate entering Arctic seas and the inclusion of processing in deltas can improve flux estimates.
format Article
id doaj-art-6720480cc6df409db0532ca98cf4a908
institution DOAJ
issn 0094-8276
1944-8007
language English
publishDate 2023-04-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-6720480cc6df409db0532ca98cf4a9082025-08-20T02:45:43ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072023-04-01507n/an/a10.1029/2022GL102201Seasonal and Morphological Controls on Nitrate Retention in Arctic DeltasDeon Knights0Anastasia Piliouras1Jon Schwenk2Jayaram Hariharan3Christopher Russoniello4Department of Geology and Geography West Virginia University Morgantown WV USACollege of Earth and Mineral Sciences The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USAEarth and Environmental Sciences Division Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos NM USADepartment of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USADepartment of Geology and Geography West Virginia University Morgantown WV USAAbstract Estimates of nitrate loading to the Arctic Ocean are limited by the lack of field observations within deltas partly due to logistical constraints. To overcome this limitation, we use a remote sensing framework to estimate retention of nitrate in Arctic deltas. We achieve this by coupling hydrological and biogeochemical process models at the network scale for five major Arctic deltas. Binary masks of delta channels were used to simulate flow direction and magnitude through networks. Models were parameterized using historical and seasonal observations. Simulated nitrate retention ranged from 2.9% to 15% of the incoming load. Retention rates were largest during winter but smallest during spring conditions when increased discharges export large nitrate masses to the coast. Under future climate scenarios, retention rates fall by ∼1%–10%. Arctic deltas have an important effect on the magnitude of nitrate entering Arctic seas and the inclusion of processing in deltas can improve flux estimates.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL102201Arctic deltasRivGraphnitratenutrient spiralingnitrate retention
spellingShingle Deon Knights
Anastasia Piliouras
Jon Schwenk
Jayaram Hariharan
Christopher Russoniello
Seasonal and Morphological Controls on Nitrate Retention in Arctic Deltas
Geophysical Research Letters
Arctic deltas
RivGraph
nitrate
nutrient spiraling
nitrate retention
title Seasonal and Morphological Controls on Nitrate Retention in Arctic Deltas
title_full Seasonal and Morphological Controls on Nitrate Retention in Arctic Deltas
title_fullStr Seasonal and Morphological Controls on Nitrate Retention in Arctic Deltas
title_full_unstemmed Seasonal and Morphological Controls on Nitrate Retention in Arctic Deltas
title_short Seasonal and Morphological Controls on Nitrate Retention in Arctic Deltas
title_sort seasonal and morphological controls on nitrate retention in arctic deltas
topic Arctic deltas
RivGraph
nitrate
nutrient spiraling
nitrate retention
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL102201
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AT anastasiapiliouras seasonalandmorphologicalcontrolsonnitrateretentioninarcticdeltas
AT jonschwenk seasonalandmorphologicalcontrolsonnitrateretentioninarcticdeltas
AT jayaramhariharan seasonalandmorphologicalcontrolsonnitrateretentioninarcticdeltas
AT christopherrussoniello seasonalandmorphologicalcontrolsonnitrateretentioninarcticdeltas