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Geochemistry Of West Siberian Streams And Their Potential Response To Permafrost Degradation, Karen E. Frey, Donald I. Siegel, Laurence C. Smith

Geography

[1] Measurements of solute concentrations from previously unstudied watersheds throughout west Siberia suggest that warming and permafrost degradation will likely amplify the transport of dissolved solids to the Kara Sea and adjacent Arctic Ocean. We present concentrations of Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, Na+, Si, Cl-, SO 42-, HCO3-, inferred alkalinity, and total inorganic solutes (TIS) from 94 streams and rivers within the Ob'-Irtysh, Nadym, and Pur river drainage basins. The sampled sites span ∼10 6 km2, a large climatic gradient (∼55°-68°N), and 39 permafrost-influenced and 55 permafrost-free watersheds. The solute composition of our samples is strongly influenced by carbonate mineral dissolution. …