The aeolian flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys landscape: evidence from snow pit analysis
We have determined the flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys region by analysing snow pits for their chemical composition and their snow accumulation using multiple records spanning up to 48 years. The fluxes demonstrate patterns related to elevation and proximity to the o...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s095410200600054x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S095410200600054X |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s095410200600054x 2024-06-23T07:48:03+00:00 The aeolian flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys landscape: evidence from snow pit analysis Witherow, Rebecca A. Lyons, W. Berry Bertler, Nancy A.N. Welch, Kathleen A. Mayewski, Paul A. Sneed, Sharon B. Nylen, Thomas Handley, Michael J. Fountain, Andrew 2006 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s095410200600054x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S095410200600054X en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Antarctic Science volume 18, issue 4, page 497-505 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 journal-article 2006 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s095410200600054x 2024-06-05T04:04:51Z We have determined the flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys region by analysing snow pits for their chemical composition and their snow accumulation using multiple records spanning up to 48 years. The fluxes demonstrate patterns related to elevation and proximity to the ocean. In general, there is a strong relationship between the nitrate flux and snow accumulation, indicating that precipitation rates may have a great influence over the nitrogen concentrations in the soils of the valleys. Aeolian dust transport plays an important role in the deposition of some elements (e.g. Ca 2+ ) into the McMurdo Dry Valleys' soils. Because of the antiquity of some of the soil surfaces in the McMurdo Dry Valleys regions, the accumulated atmospheric flux of salts to the soils has important ecological consequences. Although precipitation may be an important mechanism of salt deposition to the McMurdo Dry Valley surfaces, it is poorly understood because of difficulties in measurement and high losses from sublimation. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarctic Science McMurdo Dry Valleys Cambridge University Press McMurdo Dry Valleys Antarctic Science 18 4 497 505 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
We have determined the flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys region by analysing snow pits for their chemical composition and their snow accumulation using multiple records spanning up to 48 years. The fluxes demonstrate patterns related to elevation and proximity to the ocean. In general, there is a strong relationship between the nitrate flux and snow accumulation, indicating that precipitation rates may have a great influence over the nitrogen concentrations in the soils of the valleys. Aeolian dust transport plays an important role in the deposition of some elements (e.g. Ca 2+ ) into the McMurdo Dry Valleys' soils. Because of the antiquity of some of the soil surfaces in the McMurdo Dry Valleys regions, the accumulated atmospheric flux of salts to the soils has important ecological consequences. Although precipitation may be an important mechanism of salt deposition to the McMurdo Dry Valley surfaces, it is poorly understood because of difficulties in measurement and high losses from sublimation. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Witherow, Rebecca A. Lyons, W. Berry Bertler, Nancy A.N. Welch, Kathleen A. Mayewski, Paul A. Sneed, Sharon B. Nylen, Thomas Handley, Michael J. Fountain, Andrew |
spellingShingle |
Witherow, Rebecca A. Lyons, W. Berry Bertler, Nancy A.N. Welch, Kathleen A. Mayewski, Paul A. Sneed, Sharon B. Nylen, Thomas Handley, Michael J. Fountain, Andrew The aeolian flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys landscape: evidence from snow pit analysis |
author_facet |
Witherow, Rebecca A. Lyons, W. Berry Bertler, Nancy A.N. Welch, Kathleen A. Mayewski, Paul A. Sneed, Sharon B. Nylen, Thomas Handley, Michael J. Fountain, Andrew |
author_sort |
Witherow, Rebecca A. |
title |
The aeolian flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys landscape: evidence from snow pit analysis |
title_short |
The aeolian flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys landscape: evidence from snow pit analysis |
title_full |
The aeolian flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys landscape: evidence from snow pit analysis |
title_fullStr |
The aeolian flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys landscape: evidence from snow pit analysis |
title_full_unstemmed |
The aeolian flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys landscape: evidence from snow pit analysis |
title_sort |
aeolian flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the mcmurdo dry valleys landscape: evidence from snow pit analysis |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s095410200600054x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S095410200600054X |
geographic |
McMurdo Dry Valleys |
geographic_facet |
McMurdo Dry Valleys |
genre |
Antarctic Science McMurdo Dry Valleys |
genre_facet |
Antarctic Science McMurdo Dry Valleys |
op_source |
Antarctic Science volume 18, issue 4, page 497-505 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s095410200600054x |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
18 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
497 |
op_container_end_page |
505 |
_version_ |
1802638450184159232 |