• Sediments in core Q43 are primarily sourced from the East Siberian Sea and Chukchi Sea, with contributions from the Siberian Platform and Bering Strait.
• REE patterns and trace element ratios reveal a mixed provenance, indicating complex sediment transport pathways in the western Arctic Ocean.
• Clay mineral assemblages and geochemical proxies suggest a cold, dry climate with enhanced ice-rafting during the late Quaternary.
• The study enhances understanding of paleoceanographic evolution and the role of sea ice in sediment transport in the Arctic.