Heterogeneous CO₂ and CH₄ content of glacial meltwater from the Greenland Ice Sheet and implications for subglacial carbon processes

• Main Authors: A. J. Pain, J. B. Martin, E. E. Martin, Å. K. Rennermalm, S. Rahman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus Publications 2021-04-01
• Series: The Cryosphere
• Online Access: https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1627/2021/tc-15-1627-2021.pdf

<p>Accelerated melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet has increased freshwater delivery to the Arctic Ocean and amplified the need to understand the impact of Greenland Ice Sheet meltwater on Arctic greenhouse gas budgets. We evaluate subglacial discharge from the Greenland Ice Sheet for carbon dioxide (CO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span>) and methane (CH<span class="inline-formula">₄</span>) concentrations and <span class="inline-formula"><i>δ</i>¹³</span>C values and use geochemical models to evaluate subglacial CH<span class="inline-formula">₄</span> and CO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span> sources and sinks. We compare discharge from southwest (a sub-catchment of the Isunnguata Glacier, sub-Isunnguata, and the Russell Glacier) and southern Greenland (Kiattut Sermiat). Meltwater CH<span class="inline-formula">₄</span> concentrations vary by orders of magnitude between sites and are saturated with respect to atmospheric concentrations at Kiattut Sermiat. In contrast, meltwaters from southwest sites are supersaturated, even though oxidation reduces CH<span class="inline-formula">₄</span> concentrations by up to 50 % during periods of low discharge. CO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span> concentrations range from supersaturated at sub-Isunnguata to undersaturated at Kiattut Sermiat. CO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span> is consumed by mineral weathering throughout the melt season at all sites; however, differences in the magnitude of subglacial CO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span> sources result in meltwaters that are either sources or sinks of atmospheric CO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span>. At the sub-Isunnguata site, the predominant source of CO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span> is organic matter (OM) remineralization. However, multiple or heterogeneous subglacial CO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span> sources maintain atmospheric CO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span> concentrations at Russell but not at Kiattut Sermiat, where CO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span> is undersaturated. These results highlight a previously unrecognized degree of heterogeneity in greenhouse gas dynamics under the Greenland Ice Sheet. Future work should constrain the extent and controls of heterogeneity to improve our understanding of the impact of Greenland Ice Sheet melt on Arctic greenhouse gas budgets, as well as the role of continental ice sheets in greenhouse gas variations over glacial–interglacial timescales.</p>