Methods: Temperature measurements were made using thermistors and infra-red sensors. Pore water was extracted from thawed sediment using Rhizons™ (0.15 µm pore diameter). Electrical conductivity, salinity and pH were measured with a WTW MultiLab 540 by using a standard conductivity cell (TetraConR 325) with four graphite electrodes. Total dissolved element concentrations (Ba2+, Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, Na+, Siaq) were determined via the ICP-OES using a Perkin-Elmer ICP-OES Optima 3000XL. Dissolved anion concentrations (Cl-, SO42-, Br-, NO3-) were measured with an ion chromatograph (Dionex DX-320), a latex-particle separation column, and KOH as eluent. Determination of deuterium (δD) and oxygen isotope (δ18O) ratios was performed by means of a Finnigan MAT Delta-S mass spectrometer in combination with two equilibration units (MS Analysetechnik, Berlin). DOC was measured as non-purgeable organic carbon via catalytic combustion at 680 °C using a Shimadzu TOC-VCPH instrument on samples treated with 20 µl of 30% supra-pure hydrochloric acid. The ice content was determined gravimetrically. Grain sizes were measured with a Coulter LS 200 laser particle size analyzer. Total carbon (TC), total organic carbon (TOC) total nitrogen (TN) and total sulfur (TS) contents were determined with a CNS analyzer (Elementar VarioELIII).