Laser Ablation Trace Element Analysis of Modern and Fossil Desmophyllum dianthus from Norfolk and Baltimore Canyons in Mid-Atlantic Ocean

Abstract:

Deep-sea cup corals are a promising archive for paleoceanographic reconstructions as they are globally distributed with some fossil specimens living throughout the Holocene and into the Last Glacial period. Here we explore the utility of using laser ablation (LA)- ICP-MS to measure the trace elements and δ¹¹B in solitary scleractinian, cup corals, Desmophyllum dianthus collected in Norfolk and Baltimore Canyons from the Mid-Atlantic Ocean. Twelve modern and twenty-six sub-fossil D. dianthus, were collected between a depth range of 400m – 1400m with ambient seawater pH range of 7.89 - 8.00. Modern seawater column chemistry including radiocarbon, nutrients, total alkalinity and particulate trace elements were measured to calibrate geochemical proxies in the live specimens. Radiocarbon measurements indicate sub-fossil specimens lived as long ago as 800 years. A suite of trace elements including P/Ca, Ba/Ca, and U/Ca were analyzed to reconstruct nutrient changes and carbonate ion concentrations. Using previously published calibration equations, modern coral P/Ca ratios yield dissolved inorganic P values of 0.24 - 1.70 μmol/L in line with measured values of 0.1-2.5 μmol/L in the water column. In addition, Ba/Ca (nutrients) yield dissolved Ba values of 25-137 ±16 nmol/kg and U/Ca results yield carbonate ion concentrations of 40-129 ±29 μmol/kg, which are both consistent with previously published work. This study represents the first ever LA-ICP-MS measurements of δ¹¹B using modern and sub-fossil D. dianthus where the modern corals averaged δ¹¹B=18.15±0.01‰. These results are similar to previously published solution ICP-MS results, but using published pH-δ¹¹B calibration equation yields higher pH values than in-situ pH values suggesting future modern calibration work is necessary. Overall, these results show promise for using sub-fossil D. dianthus to reconstruct biogeochemical processes at intermediate and deep waters in Norfolk and Baltimore Canyons.