scholarly journals Seasonal characteristics of the major ions in the high-accumulation Dome Summit South ice core, Law Dome, Antarctica

1998 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 385-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A.J. Curran ◽  
Tas D. Van Ommen ◽  
Vin Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Major Ions ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Sea Salt ◽  
Seasonal Cycles ◽  
High Accumulation ◽  
Sea Ice Extent ◽  
Seasonal Characteristics ◽  
Polar Snow

Seasonal cycles of the chemical species Na+, Κ+ , Mg2+, Ca2+, CH3SO3 (MSA) Cl− NO3 − and NO3 − in the Dome Summit South (DSS) ice core from Law Dome were measured for a number of epochs (AD 1809-15, 1821-31 1980-92) span-nine a total of 28 years. These preliminary trace-chemical patterns show that the DSS site is mainly affected by marine air. The main features found in the seasonal pattern of sea-salt concentrations (e.g. Na+, Cl− and Mg2+) were a winter peak and a summer minimum. The variations in sea salts are believed to reflect aerosol production and transport due to the level of storminess, and are less affected by sea-ice extent. The seasonal cycles of marine biogenic compounds, non-sea-salt SO4 2- and MSA are in good agreement. They show a characteristic summer maximum arid a winter minimum, due to variations in biological activity. While the main sources of nitrate in polar snow remain unclear, the seasonal signal, including sub-seasonal structure, at DSS resembles that found m the atmosphere at coastal Antarctic sites. However, the timing of the nitrate maximum is different in the ice-core record compared with the aerosol records. Overall, the results indicate that the DSS core, with sub-seasonal resolution, contains a sensitive record for investigating climate variability.

scholarly journals Seasonal characteristics of the major ions in the high-accumulation Dome Summit South ice core, Law Dome, Antarctica

1998 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 385-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A.J. Curran ◽  
Tas D. Van Ommen ◽  
Vin Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Major Ions ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Sea Salt ◽  
Seasonal Cycles ◽  
High Accumulation ◽  
Sea Ice Extent ◽  
Seasonal Characteristics ◽  
Polar Snow

Seasonal cycles of the chemical species Na+, Κ+ , Mg2+, Ca2+, CH3SO3 (MSA) Cl− NO3 − and NO3 − in the Dome Summit South (DSS) ice core from Law Dome were measured for a number of epochs (AD 1809-15, 1821-31 1980-92) span-nine a total of 28 years. These preliminary trace-chemical patterns show that the DSS site is mainly affected by marine air. The main features found in the seasonal pattern of sea-salt concentrations (e.g. Na+, Cl− and Mg2+) were a winter peak and a summer minimum. The variations in sea salts are believed to reflect aerosol production and transport due to the level of storminess, and are less affected by sea-ice extent. The seasonal cycles of marine biogenic compounds, non-sea-salt SO4 2- and MSA are in good agreement. They show a characteristic summer maximum arid a winter minimum, due to variations in biological activity. While the main sources of nitrate in polar snow remain unclear, the seasonal signal, including sub-seasonal structure, at DSS resembles that found m the atmosphere at coastal Antarctic sites. However, the timing of the nitrate maximum is different in the ice-core record compared with the aerosol records. Overall, the results indicate that the DSS core, with sub-seasonal resolution, contains a sensitive record for investigating climate variability.

scholarly journals An emerging technique: multi-ice-core multi-parameter correlations with Antarctic sea-ice extent

2011 ◽  
Vol 52 (57) ◽  
pp. 347-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon B. Sneed ◽  
Paul A. Mayewski ◽  
Daniel A. Dixon
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Initial Step ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Parameter Study ◽  
Sea Ice Extent ◽  
Antarctic Sea Ice ◽  
Siple Dome

AbstractUsing results stemming from the International Trans-Antarctic Scientific Expedition (ITASE) ice-core array plus data from ice cores from the South Pole and Siple Dome we investigate the use of sodium (Na+), non-sea-salt sulfate (nssSO42–) and methylsulfonate (MS–) as proxies for Antarctic sea-ice extent (SIE). Maximum and mean annual chemistry concentrations for these three species correlate significantly with maximum, mean and minimum annual SIE, offering more information and clarification than single ice-core and single species approaches. Significant correlations greater than 90% exist between Na+ and maximum SIE; nssSO42– with minimum and mean SIE; and MS– with mean SIE. Correlations with SIE within large geographic regions are in the same direction for all ice-core sites for Na+ and nssSO42– but not MS–. All ice cores display an SIE correlation with nssSO42– and MS–, but not all correlate with Na+. This multi-core multi-parameter study provides the initial step in determining which chemical species can be used reliably and in which regions as a building block for embedding other ice-core records. Once established, the resulting temporal and spatial matrix can be used to relate ice extents, atmospheric patterns, biological productivity and site conditions.

scholarly journals A 21 000-year record of fluorescent organic matter markers in the WAIS Divide ice core

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 533-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana D'Andrilli ◽  
Christine M. Foreman ◽  
Michael Sigl ◽  
John C. Priscu ◽  
Joseph R. McConnell
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescence Spectroscopy ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Chemical Components ◽  
Last Deglaciation ◽  
Sea Ice Extent ◽  
West Antarctic ◽  
Carbon Productivity

Abstract. Englacial ice contains a significant reservoir of organic material (OM), preserving a chronological record of materials from Earth's past. Here, we investigate if OM composition surveys in ice core research can provide paleoecological information on the dynamic nature of our Earth through time. Temporal trends in OM composition from the early Holocene extending back to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide (WD) ice core were measured by fluorescence spectroscopy. Multivariate parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis is widely used to isolate the chemical components that best describe the observed variation across three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy (excitation–emission matrices; EEMs) assays. Fluorescent OM markers identified by PARAFAC modeling of the EEMs from the LGM (27.0–18.0 kyr BP; before present 1950) through the last deglaciation (LD; 18.0–11.5 kyr BP), to the mid-Holocene (11.5–6.0 kyr BP) provided evidence of different types of fluorescent OM composition and origin in the WD ice core over 21.0 kyr. Low excitation–emission wavelength fluorescent PARAFAC component one (C1), associated with chemical species similar to simple lignin phenols was the greatest contributor throughout the ice core, suggesting a strong signature of terrestrial OM in all climate periods. The component two (C2) OM marker, encompassed distinct variability in the ice core describing chemical species similar to tannin- and phenylalanine-like material. Component three (C3), associated with humic-like terrestrial material further resistant to biodegradation, was only characteristic of the Holocene, suggesting that more complex organic polymers such as lignins or tannins may be an ecological marker of warmer climates. We suggest that fluorescent OM markers observed during the LGM were the result of greater continental dust loading of lignin precursor (monolignol) material in a drier climate, with lower marine influences when sea ice extent was higher and continents had more expansive tundra cover. As the climate warmed, the record of OM markers in the WD ice core changed, reflecting shifts in carbon productivity as a result of global ecosystem response.

A continuous 250-year record of volcanic activity from Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica

2002 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.J. Zhang ◽  
Z.Q. Li ◽  
C.D. Xiao ◽  
D.H. Qin ◽  
H.A. Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Volcanic Activity ◽  
Major Ions ◽  
Accumulation Rate ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
East Antarctica ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
High Definition ◽  
Concentration Data ◽  
High Accumulation

A 51.85 m ice core collected from site LGB65 (accumulation rate 127 kg m−2 a−1, mean annual temperature −33.1°C) in Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica, during the 1996–97 Chinese First Antarctic Inland Expedition has been analysed for chemical composition and oxygen isotope ratio. Based on the high definition of seasonal variations of major ions, the ice core was dated with errors within ± 3 years. The continuous sulphate analysis of the ice core provides an annually resolved proxy history of southern hemisphere volcanism in the past 250 years. High nssSO42−, concentrations seem to be well correlated to some explosive volcanic eruptions, such as Tambora (AD 1815), Coseguina (AD 1835), Krakatoa (AD 1883) and Tarawera (AD 1886). In comparison with other volcanic records, it seems that nssSO42− concentration data provide a better proxy for detecting volcanic activity than nssSO42− fluxes in low and intermediate accumulation regions, however, in high accumulation regions, small and moderate events may be more identifiable using of nssSO42− flux data.

scholarly journals Snow-Pit Record from a Coastal Antarctic Site and Its Preservation of Meteorological Features

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-118
Author(s):  
Yalalt Nyamgerel ◽  
Sang-Bum Hong ◽  
Yeongcheol Han ◽  
Songyi Kim ◽  
Jeonghoon Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Snow Accumulation ◽  
Sea Salt ◽  
Temperature Record ◽  
Sea Ice Extent ◽  
Environmental Signals ◽  
Salt Ions ◽  
Polar Snow

Abstract Polar snow pits or ice cores preserve valuable information derived from the atmosphere on past climate and environment changes. A 1.57-m snow-pit record from the coastal site (Styx Glacier) in eastern Antarctica covering the period from January 2011 to January 2015 was discussed and compared with meteorological variables. The dominant contribution of the deposition of sea-salt aerosols due to the proximity of the site to the ocean and processes of sea ice formation was revealed in the ionic concentrations. Consistent seasonal peaks in δ 18 O, δ D, MSA, , and indicate the strong enhancement of their source during warm periods, whereas the sea-salt ions (Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Cl − , and ) exhibit a distinct distribution. Monthly mean δ 18 O positively correlates with the air temperature record from an automatic weather station (AWS) located in the main wind direction. Despite the shortness of the record, we suspect that the slight depletion of the isotopic composition and lowering of the snow accumulation could be related to the cooler air temperature with the decrease of open sea area. Consistency with previous studies and the positive correlation of sea-salt ions in the snow pit indicate the relatively good preservation of snow layers with noticeable climate and environmental signals [e.g., changes in sea ice extent (SIE) or sea surface temperature]. We report a new snow-pit record, which would be comparative and supportive to understand similar signals preserved in deeper ice cores in this location.

scholarly journals A glaciochemical study of 120 m ice core from Mill Island, East Antarctica

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mana Inoue ◽  
Mark A. J. Curran ◽  
Andrew D. Moy ◽  
Tas D. van Ommen ◽  
Alexander D. Fraser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotopes ◽  
Sea Ice ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Snow Accumulation ◽  
Sea Salt ◽  
East Antarctica ◽  
Ion Chemistry ◽  
Sea Ice Concentration ◽  
Ice Concentration

Abstract. A 120 m ice core was drilled on Mill Island, East Antarctica (65°30’ S, 100°40’ E) during the 2009/2010 Australian Antarctic field season. Contiguous discrete 5 cm samples were measured for hydrogen peroxide, water stable isotopes and trace ion chemistry. The ice core was annually dated using a combination of chemical species and water stable isotopes. The Mill Island ice core preserves a climate record covering 97 years from 1913 to 2009 C.E., with a mean snow accumulation of 1.35 m (ice-equivalent) per year (mIE yr−1). This northernmost East Antarctic coastal ice core site displays trace ion concentrations that are generally higher than other Antarctic ice core sites (e.g., mean sodium levels were 254 μEq L−1). The trace ion record at Mill Island is characterised by a unique and complex chemistry record with three distinct regimes identified. The trace ion record in Regime A displays clear seasonality from 2000 to 2009 C.E.; Regime B displays elevated concentrations with no seasonality from 1934 to 2000 C.E.; and Regime C displays relatively low concentrations with seasonality from 1913 to 1934 C.E. Sea salts were compared with instrumental data, including atmospheric models and satellite-derived sea ice concentration, to investigate influences on the Mill Island ice core record. The mean annual sea salt record does not correlate with wind speed. Instead, sea ice concentration to the east of Mill Island likely influences the annual mean sea salt record. A mechanism involving formation of frost flowers on sea ice is proposed to explain the extremely high sea salt concentration. The Mill Island ice core records are unexpectedly complex, with strong modulation of the trace chemistry on long timescales.

scholarly journals The Southern Hemisphere at glacial terminations: insights from the Dome C ice core

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Röthlisberger ◽  
M. Mudelsee ◽  
M. Bigler ◽  
M. de Angelis ◽  
H. Fischer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Source Region ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Sea Salt ◽  
Calcium Flux ◽  
Sea Ice Extent ◽  
Relative Dating ◽  
Sequence Of Events

Abstract. The many different proxy records from the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) Dome C ice core allow for the first time a comparison of nine glacial terminations in great detail. Despite the fact that all terminations cover the transition from a glacial maximum into an interglacial, there are large differences between single terminations. For some terminations, Antarctic temperature increased only moderately, while for others, the amplitude of change at the termination was much larger. For the different terminations, the rate of change in temperature is more similar than the magnitude or duration of change. These temperature changes were accompanied by vast changes in dust and sea salt deposition all over Antarctica. Here we investigate the phasing between a South American dust proxy (non-sea-salt calcium flux, nssCa2+), a sea ice proxy (sea salt sodium flux, ssNa+) and a proxy for Antarctic temperature (deuterium, δD). In particular, we look into whether a similar sequence of events applies to all terminations, despite their different characteristics. All proxies are derived from the EPICA Dome C ice core, resulting in a relative dating uncertainty between the proxies of less than 20 years. At the start of the terminations, the temperature (δD) increase and dust (nssCa2+ flux) decrease start synchronously. The sea ice proxy (ssNa+ flux), however, only changes once the temperature has reached a particular threshold, approximately 5°C below present day temperatures (corresponding to a δD value of −420‰). This reflects to a large extent the limited sensitivity of the sea ice proxy during very cold periods with large sea ice extent. At terminations where this threshold is not reached (TVI, TVIII), ssNa+ flux shows no changes. Above this threshold, the sea ice proxy is closely coupled to the Antarctic temperature, and interglacial levels are reached at the same time for both ssNa+ and δD. On the other hand, once another threshold at approximately 2°C below present day temperature is passed (corresponding to a δD value of −402‰), nssCa2+ flux has reached interglacial levels and does not change any more, despite further warming. This threshold behaviour most likely results from a combination of changes to the threshold friction velocity for dust entrainment and to the distribution of surface wind speeds in the dust source region.

scholarly journals Sea ice and pollution-modulated changes in Greenland ice core methanesulfonate and bromine

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia J. Maselli ◽  
Nathan J. Chellman ◽  
Mackenzie Grieman ◽  
Lawrence Layman ◽  
Joseph R. McConnell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Greenland Ice Sheet ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Arctic Sea Ice ◽  
Sea Ice Extent ◽  
Back Trajectories ◽  
Future Evolution ◽  
Source Regions

Abstract. Reconstruction of past changes in Arctic sea ice extent may be critical for understanding its future evolution. Methanesulfonate (MSA) and bromine concentrations preserved in ice cores have both been proposed as indicators of past sea ice conditions. In this study, two ice cores from central and north-eastern Greenland were analysed at sub-annual resolution for MSA (CH3SO3H) and bromine, covering the time period 1750–2010. We examine correlations between ice core MSA and the HadISST1 ICE sea ice dataset and consult back trajectories to infer the likely source regions. A strong correlation between the low-frequency MSA and bromine records during pre-industrial times indicates that both chemical species are likely linked to processes occurring on or near sea ice in the same source regions. The positive correlation between ice core MSA and bromine persists until the mid-20th century, when the acidity of Greenland ice begins to increase markedly due to increased fossil fuel emissions. After that time, MSA levels decrease as a result of declining sea ice extent but bromine levels increase. We consider several possible explanations and ultimately suggest that increased acidity, specifically nitric acid, of snow on sea ice stimulates the release of reactive Br from sea ice, resulting in increased transport and deposition on the Greenland ice sheet.

scholarly journals Changes in continental and sea-salt atmospheric loadings in central Greenland during the most recent deglaciation: model-based estimates

1995 ◽  
Vol 41 (139) ◽  
pp. 503-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Alley ◽  
R. C. Finkel ◽  
K. Nishiizumi ◽  
S. Anandakrishnan ◽  
C. A. Shuman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major Ions ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Sea Salt ◽  
Cold Event ◽  
High Resolution Data ◽  
Ice Accumulation ◽  
Soluble Calcium ◽  
Deposition Processes ◽  
Atmospheric Changes ◽  
Atmospheric Concentrations

AbstractBy fitting a very simple atmospheric impurity model to high-resolution data on ice accumulation and contaminant fluxes in the GISP2 ice core, we have estimated changes in the atmospheric concentrations of soluble major ions, insoluble particulates and 10Be during the transition from glacial to Holocene conditions. For many species, changes in concentration in the ice typically overestimate atmospheric changes, and changes in flux to the ice typically underestimate atmospheric changes, because times of increased atmospheric contaminant loading are also times of reduced snowfall. The model interpolates between the flux and concentration records by explicitly allowing for wet- and dry-deposition processes. Compared to the warm Preboreal that followed, we estimate that the atmosphere over Greenland sampled by snow accumulated during the Younger Dryas cold event contained on average four–seven times the insoluble particulates and nearly seven times the soluble calcium derived from continental sources, and about three times the sea salt but only slightly more cosmogenic 10Be.

scholarly journals Bromine, iodine and sodium in surface snow along the 2013 Talos Dome–GV7 traverse (northern Victoria Land, East Antarctica)

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 693-705 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niccolò Maffezzoli ◽  
Andrea Spolaor ◽  
Carlo Barbante ◽  
Michele Bertò ◽  
Massimo Frezzotti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Ross Sea ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Polar Regions ◽  
Austral Spring ◽  
Sea Ice Extent ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Halogen Chemistry ◽  
Polar Snow

Abstract. Halogen chemistry in the polar regions occurs through the release of halogen elements from different sources. Bromine is primarily emitted from sea salt aerosols and other saline condensed phases associated with sea ice surfaces, while iodine is affected by the release of organic compounds from algae colonies living within the sea ice environment. Measurements of halogen species in polar snow samples are limited to a few sites although there is some evidence that they are related to sea ice extent. We examine here total bromine, iodine and sodium concentrations in a series of 2 m cores collected during a traverse from Talos Dome (72°48' S, 159°06' E) to GV7 (70°41' S, 158°51' E) analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS) at a resolution of 5 cm. We find a distinct seasonality of the bromine enrichment signal in most of the cores, with maxima during the austral spring. Iodine shows average concentrations of 0.04 ppb with little variability. No distinct seasonality is found for iodine and sodium. The transect reveals homogeneous air-to-snow fluxes for the three chemical species along the transect due to competing effects of air masses originating from the Ross Sea and the Southern Ocean.

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