Lithochemical classification of the arctic depositional environments (Chukchi Sea) by methods of multivariate statistic

This paper presents data on the chemical composition of bottom sediments from the Chukchi Sea and the adjacent Arctic Ocean. Multivariate statistical techniques were used for the analysis of the data set and revealed that grain size fractionation of the original terrigenous component during sedimentation was the major factor of the clustering of the samples. Secondary factors include the accumulation of biogenic siliceous and carbonate material and chemogenic or biochemical accumulation of iron, manganese, and some trace elements. The latter factor was significant in areas of tectonic activity within the graben-rift system of the Chukchi Sea.