Abstract:

This paper deals with the features and distribution of chemical elements in the Borecore AB-67 (60 cm long, it covered a time span of past 450 a) from Elson Lagoon in Barrow, Arctic Alaska. The analysing data show that concentration of major elements,trace elements, rare and rare-earth elements are quite different between the upper part (0-20 cm) and the lower part (20-60 cm). And the correlation between contents of clay and organic material and concentration of chemical elements are discussed. Based on the characters of sediment geochemistry of Borecore AB-67,the history of climatic and environmental changes in Barrow in the past 450 a can be reconstracted as follows: 1) Relatively cold and dry with low sea level stage occurred prior to 1740 A. D.; 2) It was becoming warm accompanied by transgression from 1740 A. D. to 1827 A.D.; 3) From 1827 A. D. to 1994 A. D.(0-20 cm), it was fluctuated warming accompanied by continuous transgression,in this period relatively cold appeared around 1935 A. D. and 1969 A. D..

Key words: Arctic, Barrow, Lagoon, geochemistry, climate