Citation:

PANGAEA.991015 (DOI registration in progress)

Name: Measured iron isotopic compositions of Fe-Mn crust sample CXD31
Published: 2026-04-01
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywords: Aeolian dust; Ferromanganese crust; Iron biogeochemsitry; Isotopic fingerprinting; Marine geochemistry; North Pacific

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Published: 2026-04-01

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Abstract:

Iron (Fe) is a key micronutrient regulating marine productivity and the global carbon cycle, yet reconstructing the relative contributions of different Fe sources through time remains challenging. Here we present high-resolution iron isotopic compositions (δ56Fe), measured by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS), from a Fe-Mn crust sample (CXD31) recovered from the North Pacific Ocean, spanning the past ~23 Myr. The Fe isotopic values vary within the range of modern marine Fe sources, reflecting dynamic mixing among atmospheric dust, sedimentary inputs, and hydrothermal contributions. Using isotope mass-balance calculations, we reconstruct temporal changes in the relative importance of these Fe sources since the Miocene. Three intervals characterized by elevated δ56Fe values (~16.9, ~11.6, and ~2.7 Ma) indicate enhanced inputs of isotopically heavy Fe, which we attribute to increased aeolian dust supply linked to progressive aridification of inland Asia. These Fe isotope data provide a long-term record of Fe source variability in the North Pacific and offer new constraints on the coupling between continental climate evolution and oceanic Fe cycling.

Keyword(s):

Aeolian dust; Ferromanganese crust; Iron biogeochemsitry; Isotopic fingerprinting; Marine geochemistry; North Pacific

Funding:

National Key Research and Development Program of China, grant/award no. 2023YFC2811205

National Key Research and Development Program of China, grant/award no. 2023YFC2811305

National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), grant/award no. 42376035

National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), grant/award no. U2244222

Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, grant/award no. SZ2563

Coverage:

Latitude: 19.900000 * Longitude: 173.200000

Date/Time Start: 2003-07-19T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2003-07-19T00:00:00

Minimum Elevation: -1357.0 m * Maximum Elevation: -1357.0 m

Event(s):

DY105-12/14_CXD31 (CXD31) * Latitude: 19.900000 * Longitude: 173.200000 * Date/Time: 2003-07-19T00:00:00 * Elevation: -1357.0 m * Method/Device: Dredge, rock (DRG_R) * Comment: Fe–Mn crust collected by rock dredging on a seamount slope

Parameter(s):

#	Name	Short Name	Unit	Principal Investigator	Method/Device	Comment
1	Age	Age	Ma	Chu, Yongzhi
2	δ56Fe	δ56Fe	‰	Chu, Yongzhi	Multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICPMS)
3	δ56Fe, standard deviation	δ56Fe std dev	±	Chu, Yongzhi	Multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICPMS)	2 SD

License:

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0)

Status:

Curation Level: Enhanced curation (CurationLevelC)

Size:

78 data points

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