Research stay at UQÀM (J. Saini)

The aim of this stay was to analyze the stable organic carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ¹³C_org & δ¹⁵N_org) of the several cores from Melville Bugt, Baffin Bay. Stable carbon isotopic δ¹³C of organic particles have been used to understand marine ecological and depositional processes as well as to estimate relative proportions of marine and freshwater source of organic carbon. δ¹³C (and δ¹⁵N) gives accurate estimation of relative carbon deposition i.e. marine vs. terrestrial that is essential for understanding global carbon cycle. This then i could use in combination with my IP25 and PIP25 biomarkers to reconstruct the sea-ice variability of this region for late glacial and Holocene in more detail.

So, I tried to make the best of it all and used the op­por­tu­ni­ty to dis­cuss my re­sults with my su­per­vi­sors. I did some tests at GEOTOP for the simultaneous measurements of δ¹³C_org & δ¹⁵N_org that was not done before due to different amount needed for stable isotopes respectively. But luckily we were able to that in two priority cores (GeoB19927 & GeoB19948) within the correct limit of detection. Therefore, we manage to successfully done the stable isotope measurements of these two sediment cores (GeoB19927 & GeoB19948) for δ¹³C_org & δ¹⁵N_org. I also would like to thank Agnieszka Adamowicz-Walczak for her support in the lab work. We also had a chance to discuss these new results with Anne de Vernal and Claude Hillaire-Marcel. Their input was very insightful in interpreting the multi-proxies.

I also had the opportunity to attend CMOS conference/workshops at Halifax 2018 in the east coast of Canada. Here, I had more discussion about my results with Anne and other ArcTrain-Canada colleagues. During this conference I was able to meet lots of scientists across different disciplines working in the Arctic, as well as attending different workshops about successful interview skills and publication and research proposal writing.

When i arrived it was already early summer, and it is said to get sometimes very hot like 37˚C in summer. But due to heat waves, I experienced already very hot weather in Montreal where it was 38˚C humidex.  So I’ve experienced the real summer in Quebec.

So in general, the re­se­arch stay at the GEO­TOP in Mon­tréal was a very in­s­pi­ring and exciting ex­pe­ri­ence for me. I liked the old Quebec city too. Mon­tréal is a very in­te­rnational, joyful and co­lour­ful city and it was nice to meet again the Ca­na­di­an Arc­Train stu­dents and PIs. 

I would like to be thankful for ArcTrain for giving me this great opportunity, guidance and funding resources.