Fig. 1: Overview map of the study area in Southwest Greenland, core site, and CTD profile.

a Greenland and the dominant ocean circulation pattern. The blue lines indicate the fresh and cold East Greenland Current (EGC), Baffin Island Current (BIC), and Labrador Current (LC). The red lines indicate the warm and saline North Atlantic Current (NAC), Irminger Current (IC), and the West Greenland Current (WGC) (which results from IC and EGC mixing). The dark gray area outlines a contracted Subpolar Gyre scenario, and the light gray area outlines an expanded Subpolar Gyre. The black box delineates the extent of figure b. b The red line shows the upper Subpolar Mode Water (uSPMW) and deep Subpolar Mode Water (dSMW), the blue line shows the Baffin Bay Polar Water (BBPW), and the purple line shows the Southwest Greenland Coastal Water (CW)³⁰. The location of the sediment cores and CTD (SA13-ST6-36R, SA13-ST6-40G, and SA13-ST6-41CTD—all named SA13-ST6) and the sediment trap (PPS 4/3 from 2017-18) analyzed in this study are marked by yellow stars, situated within Kapisillit Kangerluat (KK). The main glaciers are indicated as: KS (Kangaasarsuup Sermia), NS (Narsap Sermia), QS (Qamanaarsuup Sermia), AS (Akullersuup Sermia), and KNS (Kangiata Nunaata Sermia). The black dashed line follows the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) end moraine, and the white dashed line follows the Kapisigdlit stade moraine deposited between ~10.4 and 10 ka BP^27,28,29. c CTD (conductivity/salinity, depth, temperature) and fluorescence profile at the core site (SA13-ST6-41CTD) obtained at the time of core collection (14-08-2013)⁴⁹.