GLYCEROL DIALKYL GLYCEROLTETRAETHERS AND TEX₈₆ INDEX IN SURFACE SEDIMENTS OF THE ARCTIC OCEAN AND THE BERING SEA

Isoprenoid and branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs),TOC, TN, δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N were analyzed for the surface sediments of the Arctic Ocean and the Bering Sea in order to understand their source and test the TEX₈₆ index. Compared with the WOA database, the TEX₈₆-and TEX₈₆^L -derived temperatures are consistent with the sea surface temperatures in the study area, except for the Station of ARC5-SR11near the 73°N. The TEX₈₆^L-SST are consistent with the annual mean SST from the samples located in the Chukchi Sea. The TEX₈₆^L-SST are consistent with the summer mean SST from the samples located in the Bering Sea, maybe resulted by the higher production of marine Archaea (Thaumarchaeota) in the summer.