Ion geochemistry of a coastal ice wedge in northwestern Canada: Contributions from marine aerosols and implications for ice‐wedge paleoclimate interpretations

Ice wedges are a characteristic ground ice feature in permafrost regions that form primarily from the meltwater of seasonal snowpack. Ice-wedge oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes have been used winter paleotemperature reconstructions; however, until recently, ion geochemistry has rarely analyzed as potential paleoclimate proxy. This is greatest for located coastal regions, where marine aerosols dominant contributor to snowpack impurities. Here, we evaluate source integrity ionic concentrations wedge northwestern Canadian Arctic (Beaufort Sea coast) use aerosol archive. Comparison regionally comparable reveals remarkably similar Cl−, Na+, Br−, SO42−, Ca2+, Mg2+, with Cl−/Na+ ratio bulk seawater (1.80 vs. 1.79 seawater), suggesting aerosols, probably sea salt production during blowing snow events over indicated by depleted SO42− values relative concentrations. A previously established linear age model develop continuous record spanning ~4,600 ~700 yr b2k. Cl− Na+ reveal strong increase late Holocene, thought be driven reduced distance-to-coast up 1 km result erosion. study presents novel interpretation ice-wedge geochemical data represents first Holocene record.