Reconnaissance of chemical and isotopic firn properties on top of Berkner Island, Antarctica
| Autor: | Wagenbach, D., Graf, W., Minikin, A., Trefzer, U., Kipfstuhl, J., Oerter, Hans, Blindow, N. |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1994 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | EPIC3Annals of Glaciology, 20, pp. 307-312, ISBN: 0-946417-14-8 |
| ISSN: | 1727-5644 0260-3055 |
| DOI: | 10.3189/1994aog20-1-307-312 |
| Popis: | The ice cap on Berkner Island is grounded on bedrock within the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf and is, therefore, expected to be a well-suited place to retrieve long-term ice-core records reflecting the environmental situation of the Weddell Sea region. Shallow firn cores were drilled to 11 m at the two main summits of Berkner Island and analysed in high depth resolution for electrical d.c. conductivity(ECM), stable isotopes, chloride, sulphate, nitrate and methane-sulphonate (MSA).From the annual layering of δD and non-sea-salt (nss) sulphate, a mean annual snow accumulation of 26.6 cm water at the north dome and 17.4cm water at the south domeare obtained. As a result of ineffective wind scouring indicated by a relatively lownear-surface snow density, regular annual cycles are found for all species at least in the upper 4-5 m. Post-depositional changes are responsible for a substantial decrease o[the seasonal δD and nitrate amplitude as well as for considerable migration of the MSA signal operating below a depth of 3-4 m. The mean chemical and isotopic firn properties at the south dome correspond to the situation on the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf at a comparable distance to the coast, whereas the north dome is found to be much more influenced by maritime air masses. Persistent high sea-salt levels in winter snow at Berkner Island heavily obscure the determination of nss sulphate probably due to sulphate fractionation in the Antarctic sea-salt aerosol. Estimated time-scale spredict ages at 400 m depth to be ~2000 years for the north and ~3000 years for the south dome. Pleistocene ice is expected in the bottom 200 and 300 m, respectively. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|