Arctic glacier melting in warming climates: a new biogeochemical proxy for glacial discharge using Ba/Ca in benthic foraminifera

The Arctic is warming at an unprecedented rate, leading to rapid glacier retreat and accelerated melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet. This has far-reaching consequences: rising sea levels, changing ocean geochemistry, and the amplification of global warming. Environmental and socioeconomic effects are already becoming evident, extending from the mid- to high latitudes. Nevertheless, uncertainties in the outcomes and severity of these changes persist due to our limited understanding of long-term glacier dynamics and their natural variability. Such can be gained from marine sedimentary records, given reliable proxies are available. GMPro will establish a novel biogeochemical indicator for past glacial meltwater discharge, based on barium-to-calcium ratios (Ba/Ca) in shells of benthic foraminifera. Combining modern calibrations and paleo studies in two key Arctic regions (Greenland, Svalbard), this project will (1a) establish barium pathways in fjords across spatial and temporal gradients of glacier melting and (1b) trace barium uptake into foraminifera shells using state-of-the-art micro-analytical techniques; (2) validate the new proxy against multiple established glaciological and oceanographical indicators; and (3) unlock histories of Arctic deglaciation under past, warm(-er than today) climates. The outcomes will enhance our understanding of glacier dynamics under a changing climate, and form the foundation for refining climate models, predicting future changes and supporting evidence-based adaptation strategies. Through GMPro, I will gain skills and experience in Arctic paleoclimatology and -oceanography, receive focused training in research leadership and management, and build an extensive network for future collaborations. These combined will be my steppingstone to becoming an interdisciplinary, independent and leading researcher within Arctic paleoclimatology and geochemistry.