Glacier mass balance reconstruction by sublimation induced enrichment of chemical species on Cerro Tapado (Chilean Andes)

• Main Authors: Ginot, P., Kull, C., Schotterer, U., Schwikowski, M., Gäggeler, H. W.
• Other Authors: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Universität Bern / University of Bern (UNIBE), Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), PAGES International Project Office, Physikalisches Institut Bern
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2005
• Subjects: [SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces; environment; [SDU.STU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences; Soi; ice core
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-00298115; https://hal.science/hal-00298115/document; https://hal.science/hal-00298115/file/cpd-1-169-2005.pdf

International audience A 36 m long ice core down to bedrock from the Cerro Tapado glacier (5536 m a.s.l., 30°08' S, 69°55' W) was analyzed to reconstruct past climatic conditions for Northern Chile. Because of the marked seasonality in the precipitation (short wet winter and extended dry summer periods) in this region, major snow ablation and related post-depositional processes occur on the glacier surface during summer periods. They include predominantly sublimation and dry deposition. Under certain assumptions the chemical record along the ice core may be applied to reconstruct the history of such secondary processes. For the time period 1962?1999, a mean annual net accumulation of 316 mm water equivalent (weq) and 327 mm weq loss by sublimation was deduced by this method. This corresponds to an initial total annual accumulation of 539 mm weq. The annual variability of the accumulation and sublimation may exhibit a correlation with the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). The deepest part of the ice record shows a time discontinuity; its age is unknown.